The world's biggest shopping addicts live in Luxembourg, not America. This freshly released August 2026 report by the custom packaging company Arka reveals which countries spend the most on new things while doing the least to recycle what they throw away.
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Luxembourg has just half a million people, yet they spend nearly €5 billion a year on clothes, furniture, and leisure.
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Danes recycle only 1 in 5 things they throw away, while buying €34 billion worth of goods every year.
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Almost nobody in Iceland shops second-hand, with locals looking up thrift stores at one of the lowest rates in the world.
The research examined which countries are most obsessed with shopping and how eco-conscious their habits actually are. To rank them, the report measured GDP per capita, total household spending on shopping, and recycling rates. It also tracked how often people in each country search for second-hand goods online. These figures were combined into a single Addiction Index Score, with higher scores going to countries where buying new is the norm and recycling is an afterthought.
Here's a look at the top 10 countries most addicted to buying new things:
| Country | Final Addiction Score | GDP Per Capita USD | Recycling Rate (%) | Second Hand Shops Monthly Searches |
| Luxembourg | 100 | 133.23K | 32.2 | 90 |
| Ireland | 80.18172 | 106.82K | 26.3 | 480 |
| United States | 72.24923 | 82.59K | 23.6 | 8100 |
| Iceland | 58.78716 | 82.2K | 29.2 | 110 |
| Denmark | 49.94294 | 68.04K | 21.9 | 720 |
| Japan | 49.4898 | 33.82K | 52.0 | 3600 |
| Netherlands | 46.74356 | 63.52K | 27.5 | 1300 |
| Australia | 46.14588 | 65.06K | 17.5 | 5400 |
| Canada | 41.43406 | 54.85K | 27.0 | 1000 |
| Belgium | 40.70591 | 55.24K | 33.1 | 480 |
You can access the complete research findings here.
1. Luxembourg
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Addiction Index Score: 100
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GDP per capita: $133,231
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Recycling rate: 32.2%
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Monthly second-hand searches: 90
Luxembourg is the world's most shopping-addicted country. Its residents collectively spend nearly €5 billion a year on clothes, furniture, and leisure, which is notable for a country of just half a million people. Buying second-hand is barely a habit there either, with the whole country recording just 90 monthly searches for used goods. The recycling rate is also low at 32%, meaning only a third of what people throw away gets reused.
2. Ireland
Ireland comes in second, with 5 million residents spending around €21 billion a year on shopping. The average Irish person earns over $106K a year, the second highest income, and a good chunk of that clearly goes toward new things. Like in Luxembourg, second-hand interest here is quite low, with only a couple of hundred people looking up thrift stores across the whole country. Plus, the recycling situation doesn’t look good either, as 3 in 4 things thrown away never get repurposed.
3. United States
The United States ranks third, and it's the only country in the world spending in the trillions. Americans collectively spend over $3.2 trillion a year on clothes, furnishings, and recreation. But while buying so many new things, the country only recycles 24% of its waste, meaning the vast majority of what people purchase ends up in the bin. That said, Americans are a little more eco-conscious when it comes to second-hand shopping, looking up local used goods stores at one of the highest rates.
4. Iceland
Iceland ranks fourth among the countries most addicted to shopping. Its residents earn an average of $82K per person annually, and collectively spend ISK 508 billion (roughly €3.4 billion) a year on clothes, house goods, and leisure. Second-hand shopping is virtually unheard of there, with locals searching for resale shops at one of the lowest rates in the world. And while the country’s recycling rate of 29% isn’t the worst, it’s not enough to offset how much new stuff Icelanders keep buying.
5. Denmark
Denmark rounds out the top five. At $68K per person, its GDP per capita is lower than Iceland's, but Denmark's population of nearly 6 million means its total household spending on clothing and recreation is far larger in absolute terms, reaching around €34 billion. Danes aren’t into second-hand shopping either, and their recycling habits don’t help the situation, with only 22% of thrown-away products ending up reused.
An eco-friendly packaging expert from Arka commented on the study:
"For anyone wondering how to become a more eco-friendly shopper, there is a simple 30-wears rule, and it means you only buy something if you can genuinely see yourself using it at least 30 times. It sounds simple but cuts out most impulse purchases. For everything else, the second-hand market has never been easier to access. Secondhand sales now account for over 10% of all fashion spending globally, and buyers pay on average 72% less than the original retail price. And finally, there is recycling, which is simpler than many people think. Most cities have drop-off points for clothes, electronics, and furniture, and a quick Google search will show you the nearest ones."
"For anyone wondering how to become a more eco-friendly shopper, there is a simple 30-wears rule, and it means you only buy something if you can genuinely see yourself using it at least 30 times. It sounds simple but cuts out most impulse purchases. For everything else, the second-hand market has never been easier to access. Secondhand sales now account for over 10% of all fashion spending globally, and buyers pay on average 72% less than the original retail price. And finally, there is recycling, which is simpler than many people think. Most cities have drop-off points for clothes, electronics, and furniture, and a quick Google search will show you the nearest ones."
