Price is not the only advantage of re-use.

For a long time, re-use of used goods and materials has been seen as an economical solution par excellence, but it is not always cheaper than buying new products. This is a preconceived idea that needs to be qualified, because while reuse offers many financial advantages, its benefits are not limited to the purchase price alone.

Additional costs to be taken into account

While re-use does indeed make it possible to avoid the production and raw material costs associated with manufacturing new products, it also generates other expenses that are often underestimated. Collecting, sorting, cleaning, reconditioning and transporting second-hand goods requires substantial investment in manpower and logistics.

According to a study by the Institut Français pour la Performance du Bâtiment (Ifpeb), these various stages of refurbishment can account for up to 80% of the final selling price for reused building materials. This is a significant cost, which reduces the gap with new build.

What’s more, as the supply of re-used products is by nature more limited and heterogeneous than that of standardised new products, supply costs may be higher for certain specific goods that are rare on the second-hand market.

Competitive prices for top-of-the-range products

Despite these additional costs associated with refurbishment and sourcing, re-use is still very competitive for top-quality and top-of-the-range products. Their high initial purchase price makes re-use much cheaper than new, even when reconditioning costs are factored in.

This is particularly true for top-of-the-range professional equipment, designer furniture or noble materials such as solid wood or natural stone. In these sectors, the savings achieved through re-use can amount to several dozen percent compared with the price of new products.