Retuna Återbruksgalleria – Sweden

Key facts

Sector: Upcycling shopping center
Year Opened: 2015
Store Location: Eskilstuna, Sweden
Number of Stores: 1
Number of countries: 1, Sweden
Product mix: Everything recycled, from apparel to bicycles
Positioning: “Your junk can be somebody else’s treasure”

What is it?

Retuna Återbruksgalleria is the first upcycling shopping center in Europe, possibly even the first in the world. Just like a regular shopping centre, the stores are different from each other; some sell furniture, others sell clothes. Located next to Retuna Recycling Center, the shopping center has 15 stores selling refined used products. The goal is to get an increasing number of stores to participate in upcycling. The philosophy of the movement is that because one consumer is no longer using a product does not mean that it cannot be of use by someone else.

Why is it innovative?

1/ Old things can shine again
Retuna Återbruksgalleria infuses life into discarded objects, whether they just need polish or require serious repairs. The consumer delivers the product in a drive-thru, where it is either prepared for sale or recycled at Retuna Recycling Center. If the product is suitable for upcycling, it is sold in one of the center’s 15 stores. Retuna Återbruksgalleria taps well into the current upcycling trend across cultures, especially among young people.
2/ Valuable knowledge
Retuna Återbruksgalleria is not just selling products, it is also educating consumers. In the same building, Eskilstuna Folkhögskola teaches its one-year program “Design Recycling.” The overall goal is for Retuna to become a place where the consumer both gets educated in recycling, upcycling and design and can enjoy an unusual and satisfying shopping experience.

Ebeltoft Group experts’ conclusion

The concept taps into the multiple consumer trends in the market. First is the rising recycling trend, where consumers have strong focus on conscious consumption and sustainability. Second is the trend for individual and personalized products, where a consumer can find one-of-a-kind objects. Finally, it is an opportunity to co-create with and educate consumers. Combining these factors create an inspiring shopping environment.

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