Why the future of retail depends on making sustainability commercially irresistible

Five years in the making

The circular offering Harri now manages, also known as Reselfridges, has been built over five or six years through patient investment, honest evaluation, and a willingness to walk away from what was not working. The pillars of it today are a pre-loved accessories business, particularly strong in handbags, watches and jewellery; a network of repair partners across the Oxford Street flagship; a buy-back scheme for luxury handbags; and, most recently, a beauty recycling programme launched across all stores in January.

That last one is notable because it is the first circular initiative Selfridges has introduced without a direct commercial drive. Customers can return five empty beauty or fragrance products purchased from anywhere and earn ‘keys’ through the Selfridges Unlocked membership programme. It is an investment in habit, in loyalty, and in a longer relationship with customers who are already engaged. The commercial logic is there; it’s just operating over a longer arc.

“Circular products and services accounted for around £17.6m of sales in 2026,” Harri says. “That’s quite significant. It means we have a genuine seat at the table within that division and can continue investing in what works.”

Those sales do not happen in just a year; it is the result of consistent, incremental growth, tested and re-tested, with honest conversations about what the data is saying. “The team has done a brilliant job of testing, trialling and innovating over the years, while also being willing to move away from ideas that aren’t delivering results,” she adds. “The focus has always been on identifying what works best for both customers and the business.”

The advantage of trust

Pre-loved luxury is a crowded, increasingly sophisticated market, and the rise of vintage has demonstrated the appetite for it. But at higher price points, the question of authenticity becomes highly acute. A customer spending several thousand pounds on a second-hand handbag is not operating on blind faith alone.

“The trust that customers have in the Selfridges name is probably what does us the biggest favour in this space,” Harri says. “In the pre-loved handbag market, customers don’t always have the same reassurance everywhere they purchase from. Everything that comes through Selfridges is thoroughly authenticated. We know our brands exceptionally well and are deeply familiar with the luxury market. The trust we’re able to offer customers as a brand is hugely valuable.”

That trust also attracts a customer profile that might not otherwise have considered pre-loved. “We already have a customer base looking for luxury handbags,” Harri explains. “We haven’t had to stretch too far to find people who might be shopping for themselves but are also thinking about buying their daughter a first luxury handbag for an 18th birthday, and perhaps don’t want to make that full-price brand purchase. That’s where we see really lovely customer stories emerging.”

The deliberate invisibility of sustainability messaging

One of the most counterintuitive decisions Selfridges has made is also one of its most effective. The Reselfridges pre-loved space, which sits directly within the ground-floor accessories hall of the Oxford Street flagship. Positioned alongside Burberry, Chanel and Dior, it does not lead with sustainability, but with fashion.

“Our approach has leaned into a playful, tongue-in-cheek fashion-led identity rather than focusing heavily on sustainability,” Harri says. “In some respects, that’s exactly why we’ve gained so much traction. People don’t necessarily come to us as a sustainability destination. They come to us as part of the wider Selfridges experience, wrapped in that playful branding.”

The placement matters as much as the messaging. By refusing to separate the pre-loved offering from the main retail floor, Selfridges removes the sense of compromise that often clings to sustainable choices. A customer browsing the accessories hall does not feel they are making a sacrifice. The experience, service, and environment are identical.

Harri is pragmatic about what this means for the sustainability story, however. “After five or six years and seeing the growth we’ve achieved, we can probably start to strengthen the sustainability messaging and make those benefits clearer to customers.” It was always a deliberate step back, but space now exists to step forward.

Consumer research has sharpened the picture. Around a quarter of Reselfridges customers are what the team calls “informed insiders”, buying with explicit sustainability intent, scrutinising material composition and environmental credentials. Around 40% fall into the “curious majority”: open to more sustainable choices, but only when those choices are easy, accessible and comparable to a conventional shopping experience. “It’s really about understanding exactly who we’re speaking to,” Harri says.

The collaboration opportunity

Harri is enthusiastic about what happens when retailer and brand circularity strategies align. Last year, Selfridges worked with several major brands to bring their own circular initiatives into the store environment, building awareness and demonstrating that sustainable options are increasingly woven into the mainstream luxury experience.

The Burberry partnership is the example she returns to. “Through initiatives like ReBurberry, customers can have products repaired by artisans who originally worked on those items. Occasionally, we’re able to bring those artisans into store, helping customers extend the life of their luxury purchases.”

The repair becomes an event. A story in its own right. Something worth coming in for.

“What’s lovely about the space is how diverse and complementary the various services and offerings can be,” she says. “It creates a highly collaborative environment.” Retailers and brands are not competing over circularity. They are building something together, and the customer experience is all the richer for it.