“A lot of products are still being produced that don’t currently have a good destination when they are discarded.”
From February 3 to 7, the National Hackathon on Circular Economy takes place, with bol and Het Goed as this year’s case holders. In the lead-up to the Hackathon, we spoke with Martijn Bijmolt, Director Retail & Operations at Het Goed, about Het Goed's circular aims and the case.
Thrift warehouse Het Goed is committed to promoting the circular economy by creating approximately 1,900 jobs across its stores. However, Het Goed aims to extend its efforts beyond its physical locations. As Martijn states, "Of course, we also want to organize this outside our stores wherever possible." To achieve this goal, partnerships are highly valuable.
Martijn Bijmolt, Director Retail & Operations at Het Goed
The power of collaboration
The collaboration with bol is seen as an opportunity to improve the processing of product waste and increase the reuse of items. Martijn explains, "Het Goed is open to working with retail partners to maximize product reuse and extend their lifespan." He highlights how bol, as a major player, contributes to processing discarded products in a more sustainable way to minimize waste: "Bol is a large national player, and together, we saw opportunities to better process waste streams."
Challenges
There are well-known challenges in increasing demand for second-hand products, particularly because new items are often cheaper. Martijn points out, "In the end, a lot of products are still being produced that don’t currently have a good destination when they are discarded." This is largely driven by consumer behavior, influenced by lower prices: "As a consumer, you're tempted to buy new items at lower prices."
The urgency to promote circularity is underscored by the enormous volume of goods being discarded or destroyed. Martijn emphasizes, "It’s only a small percentage compared to what is newly produced,". He highlights that product reuse still pales in comparison to the sheer volume of new production. He also notes that while Het Goed currently processes around 30,000 items per day, this still "pales in comparison to how many new products are sold."
The Hackathon
The goal of the hackathon is to inspire students to think creatively about making circular products more attractive. Martijn expresses his hope, stating, "The dream outcome would be for students to come up with examples or cases that inspire other retailers to take steps toward extending the lifespan of their products." The focus is on generating fresh ideas for product reuse and sustainability and determining the best ways to implement them in retail.
Price pressure and the role of regulation
For consumers, price remains a key factor in purchasing behavior. With the rise of new online retailers from Asia (such as Temu and Shein), prices are under even greater pressure. Additionally, these products are often of lower quality, making them less suitable for reuse. Regulation could provide a solution by ensuring that producers and retailers comply with EU standards and standard import duties.
The greater goal is to make circularity and reuse a more mainstream concept—not just within second-hand stores but across the broader retail sector. Martijn envisions this transformation, stating, "Ideally, we’d like to see circularity integrated into various models (reuse, rental, upcycling) within mainstream retail on the high street." He believes this could lead to a shift in how the entire retail sector approaches sustainability and product lifecycles.
In summary, the discussion highlights the challenges of increasing demand for circular products and the potential of partnerships—such as the one with Bol.com—to address these issues. The hackathon is seen as a platform to spark new ideas and encourage the wider adoption of sustainable practices, particularly among young people.