On average, the equivalent of 800,000 three-seater sofas worth of unwanted furniture is discarded in greater Sydney alone each year. This is a staggering figure, so flat-pack furniture mega-retailer IKEA have launched a buyback scheme nationwide in an effort to help tackle their contribution to Australian landfill.
The initiative is a component of IKEA’s commitment to becoming climate positive by 2030, with the company aiming to inspire and enable customers to make healthier and more sustainable choices by offering 'knowledge, ideas and affordable solutions'.
The idea was championed by David Hawthorn, sales manager at the Ikea Tempe store in Sydney’s inner west, after he became increasingly concerned about the amount of furniture he was seeing discarded on roadsides. “We’re part of the problem sometimes, and therefore we have to take leadership and actually come out and say we’re going to do something about it,” David explains. “We’re the only large furniture retailer that’s doing this. It’s the right thing to do.”
It’s estimated that the buyback scheme will save around 15,000 furniture items a year from ending up in landfill, while simultaneously awarding conscious customers with an IKEA gift voucher. The value of the gift voucher is decided on a case by case basis depending on the individual item, with returned goods being available for re-purchase in the ‘as-is’ section of IKEA stores.
This scheme gives IKEA customers access to pre-loved items in good condition that the previous owner no longer requires, furthering the increasingly popular ethos of embracing low-waste practices.
“People everywhere are searching for solutions for a healthier and more sustainable life. We want to inspire and enable as many people as possible to live more sustainably and to make it easy and affordable,” the IKEA team explain.
To make taking advantage of the buyback initiative as easy as possible, IKEA is also partnering with car rental company GoGet. GoGet offer hourly and daily rates for car rental, and are giving a 20 percent discount to customers who are dropping off goods as part of the buyback initiative.
IKEA’s move towards increased sustainability and reduced waste has been hailed as a step in the right direction by eager customers, enthusiastically taking up the opportunity to reduce waste and return items in good condition – as well as snap up their IKEA voucher.
Whether you’re picking up a reduced price, pre-loved item in the IKEA ‘as-is’ section, or returning an in-good-condition item that you’ve fallen out of love with (in exchange for an IKEA voucher!), you’re doing your bit to reduce waste.
IKEA’s buyback initiative has now been rolled out nationwide.
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Check out the IKEA website for further information on taking advantage of their buyback scheme.
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