For years, a trend has been observed on the online marketplace Ricardo: immediately after the festive season, the number of newly listed items rises sharply, most likely due to the resale of unwanted Christmas gifts. A 10-day comparison before and after Christmas 2025 shows an increase of 35% in newly listed secondhand items on Ricardo (previous year: +24%). The strongest growth was recorded in the fashion category. Current analysis by Ricardo shows that the circular economy in Switzerland continues to gain popularity even after the gift-giving season.
A scarf in the wrong colour, the fifth scented candle, or a toy that is no longer age-appropriate: Christmas gifts often miss the mark when it comes to the recipient’s. In Switzerland, unwanted gifts are increasingly being passed on, as suggested by a recent analysis of newly listed secondhand items on the online marketplace Ricardo immediately after the holidays. Between 26 December 2025 and 4 January 2026, a total of 302,239 secondhand products were newly listed — around 35% more than during the same period before Christmas. In the previous year, this growth was 24%.
Ricardo users were most active on Sunday, 28 December 2025, when an above-average number of secondhand items were given a second chance a second chance on the platform. In the period analysed after Christmas, listings increased most strongly in the categories Fashion & Accessories (+59%) and Home & Living (+39%).
Passing on gifts instead of throwing them away: circular economy thrives after Christmas
The Swiss population showed exceptional generosity at Christmas 2025: according to Statista, people planned to spend an average of around CHF 340 on Christmas gifts — one fifth more than in the previous year. Among this abundance of gifts were duplicate, unsuitable or unwanted items, which are now increasingly being passed on via Ricardo and given a second life instead of simply being thrown away.
“The sharp increase in new inventory on Ricardo after Christmas clearly shows that sustainable consumption decisions in Switzerland continue to gain importance even after the festive season,” says Francesco Vass, Managing Director of Ricardo. “As a secondhand online marketplace, our goal is to actively promote the circulation of unused items and thus the circular economy in Switzerland throughout the year. In doing so, we support our users in giving their no-longer-needed items a new life easily, quickly and securely.”
Secondhand items with the strongest growth in newly listed offers*
| Category | Newly listed items <br>26 Dec 2025 – 4 Jan 2026 | Growth* |
| Clothing & Accessories | 41,289 | 59% |
| Home & Living | 40,642 | 39% |
| Books & Comics | 18,841 | 46% |
| Toys | 15,688 | 62% |
| Musical Instruments | 15,023 | 31% |
| Kids & Baby | 11,760 | 69% |
* Basis: Newly listed secondhand items on Ricardo from 16–25 Dec 2025 vs. 26 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026
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