In recent years, the consumption paradigm has been changing: increasingly, it is no longer about purchasing a good, but about having access to it. The terms sharing economy, access economy, or use economy describe precisely this trend: shared means of transport, rented clothing, leased equipment. But is this revolution truly sustainable—for both consumers and the environment—or does it hide potential pitfalls?
The dilemma: rent or buy?
Traditionally, owning a good has been synonymous with stability: cars, homes, household appliances, clothing. Today, many goods are used for only a fraction of their life cycle, and renting or temporary access (renting, leasing, sharing) can be more practical.
According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), rental and sharing services make it possible to use goods more efficiently and reduce waste, thereby increasing overall efficiency. As Horton and Zeckhauser explain in their study “Owning, Using and Renting: Some Simple Economics of the ‘Sharing Economy’”, renting or sharing products allows assets that would otherwise remain underused to be exploited, giving more people access to them without having to own them.
These services therefore appear not only to improve economic efficiency, but also to lower barriers to access for expensive or difficult-to-own goods, such as professional tools, sports equipment, or vehicles. Moreover, they promote flexibility: users can use what they need only when they need it, without the management and maintenance burdens associated with ownership. In this way, sharing contributes to a more sustainable consumption model by optimizing the use of existing goods and reducing material waste and environmental costs linked to the production of new items.
When is renting worthwhile?
Here are some suggestions to understand whether renting may be more advantageous than buying (and when purchasing remains preferable):
- Frequency of use: according to an article by di Britannica Money, if you expect to use a good only occasionally (e.g., gardening equipment, formalwear), renting avoids high expenses and rapid depreciation.
- Rapidly depreciating value: goods that lose value quickly (e.g., technology, vehicles) can, in some cases, make renting preferable to purchasing.
- Space and maintenance: buying requires space, maintenance, and management. If these costs are high and living space is limited, renting may be a more reasonable choice.
- Environmental sustainability: in the clothing sector, for example, a study published on MDPI finds that garment rental can reduce textile waste production and environmental impact.
However, renting is not automatically the best choice: accumulated costs over time, contractual constraints, flexibility, and above all personal and financial goals must be carefully evaluated.
How to choose
Before deciding between renting and buying, consider these point:
- Assess how much you will use the good over time: if usage is sporadic, renting is probably more sensible.
- Calculate the total cost over time: compare rental fees, purchase price, maintenance, and depreciation.
- Consider future flexibility: renting may offer quicker freedom to change; buying may provide stability.
- Turn the choice into a financial goal: owning less can be an objective if the money saved is allocated to other projects.
- Evaluate sustainability not only from an environmental perspective, but also an economic one: renting may be “green,” but only if managed efficiently.
The “non-ownership” economy is undoubtedly a powerful and promising trend, though it is not a universal solution. For the responsible consumer, the question is not simply “do I own or rent?”, but rather “which path best aligns with my goals, my usage, and my sustainability?”
In an era in which consumption and ownership are constantly evolving, saving and awareness become central elements: it is not enough to choose an alternative model; it is necessary to choose the model that works for you and helps you build a financially and socially sustainable future.
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November 12, 2025