AS gifting season approaches, a quarter (28%) of shoppers in Essex say the most thoughtful, original, or romantic presents to give are second-hand, according to a new survey of more than 4,000 UK adults for Amazon by OnePoll.  

Essex shoppers also estimate that 18% of what they already own is pre-loved, while more than one in 10 (14%) believe the majority of their purchases will be second hand by 2027.  

When it comes to gifting, more than one in four (28%) Essex shoppers feel that pre-loved or nearly-new gifts are the most romantic, original, or thoughtful, according to the survey. One in four (26%) also believe it feels better for the environment to be gifted something which isn’t brand new. 

Essex shoppers intend to cut down on new purchases by 31% in the next two years, with one in four (25%) saying they get more of an endorphin rush finding pre-owned items than buying them new. 32% of Essex shoppers think the endorphin rush of buying pre-owned is due to the quality often being as good as buying new, while a further four in 10 (44%) feel the rush is because it reduces the impact on the environment. 

More than a third (36%) of Essex shoppers are also keen to buy more pre-loved items in the next two years – intending to cut down on their new purchases by 31%. And more than a third (38%) make sure their homes stay clutter-free by following a ‘one-in-one-out’ policy at home – donating or selling items they already own to make way for new possessions.  

Omer Kartal, General Manager at Amazon in Tilbury, said: “It’s great to see people actively planning to purchase non-new items even more in the future. As well as being better for the environment, second-hand items are often more affordable. The second-hand economy is growing quickly, and as Christmas approaches, we expect to see a big uptick in people searching for refurbished or pre-loved items for their friends and family members.”