How handy is this?

We all love a cheeky bit of Ikea, but when the time comes to level up our interiors, we're often at a loss as to what to do with the old furniture. Fortunately, Ikea have announced a new initiative that would allow customers to sell back their old furniture to the retailer so that it might have a second life. The programme, titled Buy Back, will be available at the Ikea store in Ballymun, and shoppers could fetch a voucher worth up to €300 in the exchange. Ikea will then resell the old furniture at an affordable price in their Circular Hubs, which will prevent the usable materials from ending up in a landfill unnecessarily. The furniture retailer has said that the move is part of their ambition to become a "fully circular and climate positive business by 2030". Through the service, products that are in excellent condition with "no scratches", can be bought back for 50% of the original price. Products that have minor scratches will be bought back for 40% of the original cost, while furniture that is well used with several scratches can be resold for 30% of their value. Ikea said that the service is one of several initiatives that would "help make sustainable living more accessible and affordable", and to encourage customers to "rethink their consumption habits and take positive action to help our planet". Speaking on the initiative, Peter Jelkeby, the chief sustainability officer for Ikea UK and Ireland said: “Households are connected to around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consuming around a third of the energy and 10% of the water used globally. Therefore, small actions taken within them can make a significant difference, and why IKEA is so committed to making sustainable living more affordable, attractive and accessible. As one of the biggest brands in the world, we recognise our unique opportunity to help lead that change." For more information on how Buy Back works, head to Ikea's website.