The second-hand market will exceed 27 billion euros in 2025. The sector is driven by shopping for vintage fashion and accessories, followed by books and furniture.
It weighs 1.2% of the Italian GDP, it is the economic value generated by the second-hand market in Italy in 2025. This is what emerges from the twelfth Ipsos Doxa Second Hand Economy Observatory for Subito. A choice, that of vintage, which responds to multiple public needs: sustainability, convenience and culture. During 2025, in fact, more than six out of ten Italians, around 65%, declared they had bought or sold pre-loved goods, of which around 24% do so at least once a month. In detail, e-commerce accounts for the lion’s share: online is adopted by 71% of those interviewed, ten years ago this figure was 30%. But what is the profile of the typical buyer? According to the analysis, second hand is increasingly the starting point of the consumer journey for Gen Z, Millennials and Gen And what are the purchases favouritethe? The most popular categories are Home & Personal, chosen by 76% of the sample, Sports & Hobbies by 52%, Electronics and Vehicles. Specifically, the podium of the most purchased products online goes to vintage Clothing & Accessories, Books & Magazines (28%) and Furnishings & Housewares (22%). “In a highly uncertain economic context, second hand goods prove to be a concrete ally in the family budget. The numbers speak clearly: those who sell earn an average of 834 euros per year, while those who buy receive an average saving of 44% compared to new ones, which in some categories reaches 50%, as in the case of clothing and accessories, vintage items, bicycles, books or even children’s items”, underlined Giuseppe Pasceri, CEO of Subito. “Second-hand goods are an intelligent, accessible model of consumption which are consciously chosen because they are sustainable on an environmental, social and above all economic level. We at Subito see this from the growth of people who visit our platform every day, over 2.8 million, with a growth of 8.3% compared to the previous year”.
