The news: Resale platform Vinted reported a 38% spike in revenues in 2025, signaling strong demand for secondhand goods as cost-of-living pressures rise.

Total gross merchandise volume (GMV) jumped 47% YoY to €10.8 billion ($12.2 billion), fueled by both category and geographic expansion.

Behind the numbers: While Vinted’s results only reflect its European business, secondhand’s appeal is also evident across the pond. The US secondhand market grew four times faster in 2025 than the broader retail apparel market and is expected to grow at a 7.3% CAGR from 2025 to 2030, according to ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report.

The war in Iran could also boost resale adoption as consumers look for more affordable ways to shop. One in five adults in the US, UK, and Canada are already shopping secondhand or from resale platforms more often due to price changes resulting from global trade policies and economic conditions, per a Salsify survey. If elevated oil prices make it more expensive to produce and transport goods—not to mention eat away at consumers’ buying power—that could further increase resale demand. In that scenario, companies like Vinted are more likely to thrive: The platform “is a very useful tool if people have less money and things become more expensive,” because it lets them “sell things and make some money and find good deals,” CEO Thomas Plantenga told Reuters.

Implications for retailers: Rising cost pressures from the war in Iran could benefit the circular economy by fueling purchases of used goods and leading more buyers to monetize their existing possessions. These gains are likely to extend beyond the apparel category to segments like electronics, household goods, and auto as consumers look to save money.