An estimated 24 million previous smartphones, value £1 billion, have been saved as ‘spares’ by UK house owners over the previous three years, a brand new research has revealed.
The survey, by Deloitte’s Digital Consumer Trends, discovered two in 5 consumers are holding on to their unused telephones after they swap or improve.
In 2022 alone, seven million smartphones value greater than £500 million will probably be left in cabinets or drawers, it suggests.
A complete of 4,160 UK shoppers aged 16-75 took half within the research and revealed that of those that purchased or obtained a brand new cellphone prior to now yr, 38% held on to their previous gadget.
It confirmed shoppers have been typically unsure of the worth of them, with only a third (34%) claiming to know what their smartphone is value immediately.
Among those who upgraded their cellphone within the yr to 2022, round one in 5 (21%) exchanged their previous gadget for cash, both by promoting, trading-in, or recycling.
One in 4 (24%) exchanged it at no cost, both given away or recycled, and seven% of telephones have been misplaced, thrown away or stolen.
‘Couldn’t be bothered’
Of the shoppers who saved their unused smartphone as spare, 31% did so in case their new gadget have been to be misplaced, stolen, or damaged.
A complete of 14% of shoppers claimed they may not be bothered to eliminate their previous cellphone, whereas 5% have been uncertain who or the place to promote their spare gadget to.
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Paul Lee, international head of analysis for expertise, media and telecommunications at Deloitte, stated: “We know smartphones are an integral part of daily life for many of us, with over 90% of consumers in the UK now owning one.
“With so many technological developments and glossy new options introduced annually, it’s unsurprising shoppers are drawn to the newest era smartphones.
“However, with millions of devices now gathering dust at the bottom of drawers or the back of cupboards, it’s important both consumers and smartphone manufacturers realise the value of these forgotten phones.
“Device producers and sellers ought to look to offer improved, extra clear, and simpler to make use of options for recycling or trading-in older units so shoppers can recoup any residual worth from their previous tech.”
Trading-in – the greener choice
In the UK, just 17% of phones owned were purchased as used, compared to 82% that were bought new.
Emily Cromwell, environmental, social and governance lead for the consumer industry at Deloitte, said there were “actual advantages” to the environment from recycling or trading in.
She said: “Making sustainable decisions will not be prime of the record for a lot of shoppers who will probably be feeling the cost-of-living squeeze, with over half of shoppers claiming it’s too costly to undertake a extra sustainable life-style. However, we all know there could be actual advantages from recycling or trading-in objects.
“While shipping old devices creates emissions, these are far fewer than those generated from the manufacturing of brand-new devices.”
She added: “Organisations looking to tap into the used phone market should be giving consumers a variety of options to make ‘greener’ choices.”
Source: information.sky.com”