dubizzle poll reveals 70% of users are eco-conscious

• 42% of respondents stated that they took part in recycling and waste sorting, and 38% reused or repaired items in the past year
• 7% of respondents consider themselves not to be environmentally friendly, and almost a quarter (23%) stated that they are neutral, however, will take steps to be more conscious in the coming year

Dubai: dubizzle, the UAEs largest online classifieds platform, reveals that 70% of its users consider themselves to be eco-friendly.

In a poll conducted of over 1,369 respondents in May 2019, 959 users claimed that they are environmentally friendly. The results which have been revealed ahead of World Environment Day that falls on June 5th of each year, share insight into sustainable consumer habits, as well as the most popular measures that will be taken by users to reduce their carbon footprint moving forward.

When those surveyed were asked about what actions they took to reduce their carbon footprint in the last year, 42% stated that they recycled and sorted their waste, followed by 38% who reused or repaired items.

Other actions included being mindful of DEWA consumption (36%), being aware of what they purchase (35%) and refusing to buy single-use plastic and paper products by opting for reusable products instead (32%). The results also revealed that 33% and 32% sold and bought second-hand items respectively, giving them a longer life.

When asked what second-hand items were bought or sold in the last year, electronics took the majority share (40%), followed by home & garden appliances (28%), sports & outdoor items (17%), child and baby items (14%) and fashion and beauty items (11%).

“The core business model of dubizzle naturally encourages sustainable behaviors by providing a platform for the community to trade second-hand goods. Through this simple act of buying and selling used items, users are ultimately contributing to reducing waste and lowering their ecological impact in the UAE,” commented Salma Anabtawi, Head of Customer Experience at dubizzle.

While most respondents highlighted that they are ‘environmentally friendly’, 7% consider themselves not to be, and almost a quarter (23%) stated that they are neutral. However, when asked what measures they will take in the next year to become more environmentally conscious, all survey participants responded positively.

The most popular measure was recycling and taking part in waste sorting, with 44% of respondents aiming to do more of this in the coming year. Refusing to buy single-use plastic and paper products was the second most popular (38%), followed by being more mindful of items purchased (37%). Other measures selected included reusing an item for more than its primary purpose (37%), monitoring DEWA consumption more closely (35%), selling used items (36%) and buying second-hand items (31%).

With over 2 million monthly active users, dubizzle is the biggest second-hand online marketplace in the UAE, providing users with a platform to trade and exchange used items. This contributes to reducing waste and promotes sustainability among UAE residents, which is in line with the national agenda of creating and maintaining a sustainable environment, outlined in Vision 2021.

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About dubizzle:
dubizzle is the leading classifieds platform for users in the United Arab Emirates. Since its launch in 2005, dubizzle has become the number one platform for users to buy, sell, or find anything in their community. A community where underused goods are redistributed to fill a new need, and become wanted again, where non-product assets such as space, skills, and money are exchanged and traded in new ways that don’t always require centralized institutions or ‘middlemen’.

dubizzle is an OLX Group company:
The OLX Group is a global product and tech company which operates a network of market-leading trading platforms in over 40 countries.

With more than 330 million monthly users worldwide, OLX Group makes it fast and easy to buy and sell almost anything online, such as household goods, phones, cars, and houses. Through consumer brands including Avito, dubizzle, letgo, OLX, and many dozen others, more than 15 million things are exchanged on its apps and platforms every single month.

The OLX Group is powered by a team of 5,000 people, operating from +30 offices across five continents. The team is united behind a single mission to make it easy for people to buy and sell almost anything, promoting prosperity in local communities.OLX Arabia is actively expanding in the MENA region in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

© Press Release 2019