The sale of legitimate worked antique ivory is legal here in the UK, however Preloved have tightened up their advert review processes and has made the decision to ban the sale of all ivory.
Preloved are one of the biggest online classified ads site in the UK, acquired in 2014 by The Hut Group. Their 2 million active users can place adverts, free of charge, to advertise everything from classic cars to antique collectibles and trinkets… but no longer ivory.
Antique worked ivory (pre 1947) that was traded into the U.K. before the international ban in 1989, is currently legal to trade within the U.K. along with proof of provenance. However, due to growing demands for raw ivory within the current global commercial markets, Preloved has made the call to ban the sale of ivory.
By banning ivory, Preloved are making a step to not only eliminate any chance of illegal ivory being traded on site (the site cannot physically identify suspect illegal ivory themselves), but also to use this opportunity to promote the challenges ivory producing species are facing around the globe due to the growing demands of the ivory trade.
UK Director of IFAW, Philip Mansbridge, said: “We are very pleased that Preloved has decided to ban the sale of ivory on its website. The decision to ban ivory sends a strong message to Preloved’s two million users and the wider world that when there is no more demand for ivory products, there will be no value in obtaining raw ivory. More than 100,000 elephants have lost their lives to ivory poachers in the past three years alone“.
