This Government-Funded Swedish Shopping Mall Only Sells Secondhand Items

This Government-Funded Swedish Shopping Mall Only Sells Secondhand Items

This Government-Funded Swedish Shopping Mall Only Sells Secondhand Items As a fashion sustainability researcher, finding the ReTuna shopping mall in Eskilstuna was a delightful surprise. Stepping into this Swedish shopping center felt refreshingly different — it is the first in the world to sell only secondhand and repurposed items. During numerous visits to the shopping mall over the last 18 months, I have spoken to customers, managers, and employees — all of whom seemed excited by ReTuna’s innovative business model. The mall instantly feels very different to the cluttered charity shops or vintage boutiques most of us associate with pre-owned retail. There is a wide range of products on sale — fashion, sports equipment, household items, children’s toys, antiques — and even an Ikea secondhand store selling previously used and repaired furniture. This is not just a retail space. It is a municipality-led experiment in circular consumption, where everything sold has been donated by the publi…