Interest in circular business models continues to grow rapidly, both globally and in Sweden. One clear sign is the strong second-hand boom gaining momentum ahead of Circular Monday.
Circular Monday stands as a counterweight to the consumption-heavy Black Friday. The international movement, which originated in Sweden, brings together thousands of organizations worldwide that work with repair, reuse, sharing services, and circular business models.
Circular IT Is Growing Rapidly – Nearly 50 Percent Growth in October
The trend is especially noticeable in the tech sector. Inrego, which reuses more than 400,000 IT products each year, reports an exceptionally strong year. August showed sales growth of over 30 percent compared to the same period last year, and October surpassed previous years with a record-breaking 48 percent growth in sales to the Nordic market.
“A clear shift in norms has taken place. More people are willing to try circular solutions, and we’ve helped many of our partners scale up their circular offerings — and those who dare to buy refurbished rarely go back. The increase is unprecedented and something we’ve never seen before,” says Sebastian Holmström, Head of Sales at Inrego.
The sharp rise is driven by both economic and practical factors. As Windows 10 reached end-of-life on October 5, many organizations are replacing older equipment — and choosing refurbished technology as a cost-effective, climate-smart alternative.
“Refurbished IT delivers modern performance at a fraction of the cost and with significantly lower climate impact. For more and more companies, it’s becoming an obvious choice,” Holmström adds.
Circular Business Models Becoming More Common
The circular market continues to expand, and according to the Swedish Trade Organization's Pre-Loved Indicator, both demand and the number of players in the segment are increasing.
“There are no signs that interest in second-hand is slowing down. If anything, the opposite is true. We’re seeing more and more actors entering the market and making second-hand products accessible to a wider audience,” says Maria Mikkonen, Chief Economist at Svensk Handel.
She also highlights changing consumer behavior:
“More Swedes are seeing the opportunity to consume sustainably — and in many cases at lower prices. Active sustainability work is now a huge competitive advantage.”
Circular Monday: A Global Movement with Swedish Roots
Circular Monday started in Malmö in 2017 and has grown into a global counter-movement to the consumption-driven Black Friday. Since 2023, the campaign has been run globally by ClimateHero, with the goal of making sustainable consumption choices accessible to everyone.
