Thank you for this excellent reflection. This message of yours has been on my mind, but I don’t have a clear answer to it, and I also await Marianne’s expert comments.
The idea itself feels logical. I was forced to go to numerous flea markets over the weekend, and after some initial futile resistance, I myself got excited about rummaging through rows of items, hoping to find a gem. That’s when I also thought about your post. Almost everything from home decor to clothes, etc., could be bought used. And old items are constantly becoming more available as the large age cohorts pass away. One would think that new goods would face increasingly fierce competition. Nor does the development of Finnish purchasing power in recent years, even if it is now positive, encourage major consumer spending sprees.
New dinnerware sets and shelves might quickly be left on the shelf when you can get historical branded dinnerware or some Gustavian shelves more affordably from flea markets. That is, if you shop outside the Helsinki metropolitan area. 