Europe’s Gen Z ‘happy to get’ pre-owned Valentine’s gifts

Valentine’s Day has an eco heart, especially among Gen-Zers. It appears the age group is shunning Valentine’s clichés in favour of pre-loved gifts, Adevinta research reveals.

The online classifieds specialist said younger European consumers lead the way in sustainable gifting this Valentine’s Day, with 49% preferring to receive a one-of-a-kind pre-loved gift rather than a new, mass-produced item. Exactly half of the group’s respondents also believe Valentine’s Day is too focused on consumerism.

Some 44% of Gen-Z consumers believe secondhand online marketplaces offer more choice for meaningful or unique gifts than physical stores, we’re told. And 39% say Valentine’s gifts from major online retailers are impersonal, compared to 33% of Gen Xers and 28% of Baby Boomers.

The cost and climate benefits of secondhand shopping are also on the minds of this new generation of conscious consumers. Some 57% of Gen Z recognise secondhand is more affordable than buying brand-new, compared to 50% of Gen X and 52% of Baby Boomers. And 56% believe that buying pre-loved, vintage, or secondhand Valentine’s Day gifts is better for the environment.

And last-minute panic buying of traditional Valentine’s merchandise means unwanted gifts are being thrown away or resold online. Some 42% confess to buying a Valentine’s gift they know is unoriginal or a cliché, despite 50% wishing they could have given a more special and unique gift.

More than one in three (36%) Gen Z respondents have received a gift they have no use for, while 23% have thrown a Valentine’s gift away, and 18% have later sold an unwanted Valentine’s gift online.

Overall, 43% of Gen-Zs say they plan to buy gifts for family, friends and loved ones, compared to 36% of Gen X and just 25% of Baby Boomers.