Beyond Consumption: The Environmental Significance of Second-Hand Shops. A Case Study on carla Re-Use Shops – Caritas’ second-hand shop
(2025) In IIIEE Master Thesis IMEM02 20251The International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics
- Abstract
- Second-hand consumption is promoted as a tool for achieving sustainability goals, yet its actual environmental impact remains insufficiently quantified. This thesis examines the potential of second-hand shops to contribute to carbon reduction, focusing on carla, a Vienna-based second-hand initiative. While second-hand goods are generally assumed to reduce the demand for new products, this benefit depends on operational processes, consumer behaviour, product categories, and displacement rates.
The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of second-hand consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, and to identify the key behavioural and operational factors influencing this outcome. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was applied. A... (More) - Second-hand consumption is promoted as a tool for achieving sustainability goals, yet its actual environmental impact remains insufficiently quantified. This thesis examines the potential of second-hand shops to contribute to carbon reduction, focusing on carla, a Vienna-based second-hand initiative. While second-hand goods are generally assumed to reduce the demand for new products, this benefit depends on operational processes, consumer behaviour, product categories, and displacement rates.
The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of second-hand consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, and to identify the key behavioural and operational factors influencing this outcome. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was applied. A quantitative analysis was conducted on the inventory data, which was collected at the category level (e.g., clothing, furniture, electronics) and combined with external emission factors. A customer survey was administered to estimate displacement rates (i.e., % replacement of firsthand goods through second-hand), and regression analysis was used to explore behavioural influences. Qualitative insights were also gathered through interviews with customers and employees and have been analysed through coding analysis.
The results show that second-hand shopping at carla leads to meaningful carbon savings. However, the extent of savings varies depending on product categories and consumer choices. The study concludes that second-hand shops like carla can play a relevant role in circular consumption strategies. Future research should address the behavioural dimension and product-specific sustainability potentials. However, this study’s findings apply to second-hand initiatives similar to carla, which can adapt the framework implemented and take inspiration from carla’s sustainability performance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9209286
- author
- Nessi, Namuli LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- IMEM02 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Circular Economy, Second-hand, Re-use, Displacement Rate, GHG Emissions
- publication/series
- IIIEE Master Thesis
- report number
- 2025:25
- ISSN
- 1401-9191
- language
- English
- id
- 9209286
- date added to LUP
- 2025-08-12 14:36:38
- date last changed
- 2025-08-12 14:36:38
@misc{9209286,
abstract = {{Second-hand consumption is promoted as a tool for achieving sustainability goals, yet its actual environmental impact remains insufficiently quantified. This thesis examines the potential of second-hand shops to contribute to carbon reduction, focusing on carla, a Vienna-based second-hand initiative. While second-hand goods are generally assumed to reduce the demand for new products, this benefit depends on operational processes, consumer behaviour, product categories, and displacement rates.
The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of second-hand consumption on greenhouse gas emissions, and to identify the key behavioural and operational factors influencing this outcome. For this purpose, a mixed-method approach was applied. A quantitative analysis was conducted on the inventory data, which was collected at the category level (e.g., clothing, furniture, electronics) and combined with external emission factors. A customer survey was administered to estimate displacement rates (i.e., % replacement of firsthand goods through second-hand), and regression analysis was used to explore behavioural influences. Qualitative insights were also gathered through interviews with customers and employees and have been analysed through coding analysis.
The results show that second-hand shopping at carla leads to meaningful carbon savings. However, the extent of savings varies depending on product categories and consumer choices. The study concludes that second-hand shops like carla can play a relevant role in circular consumption strategies. Future research should address the behavioural dimension and product-specific sustainability potentials. However, this study’s findings apply to second-hand initiatives similar to carla, which can adapt the framework implemented and take inspiration from carla’s sustainability performance.}},
author = {{Nessi, Namuli}},
issn = {{1401-9191}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{IIIEE Master Thesis}},
title = {{Beyond Consumption: The Environmental Significance of Second-Hand Shops. A Case Study on carla Re-Use Shops – Caritas’ second-hand shop}},
year = {{2025}},
}