Electricals retailer Currys has released a video highlighting the recycling and repair journey devices go on once handed in to its Cash for Trash scheme.
For several years now, Currys has enabled consumers to hand in old tech to its stores in exchange for a voucher to spend with the business. Those devices – be it laptops, smartphones, or other small appliances – are processed internally at the retailer’s Newark repair centre and either refurbished or broken down for parts that can be used in other tech rebuilds.
The video comes as Currys released research estimating there are more than 880 million unused items nationwide sitting in UK homes, with an average of 30 per household. And among the most prolific offenders are mobile phones, with four in five Brits holding onto a defunct mobile, and one in three still have their very first – a quarter of which are old Nokias.
Despite clear awareness among consumers of the benefits of recycling tech, only a third of the 2,000 questioned in the survey said they had recycled tech in the past year. This was despite 81% knowing batteries in household waste can cause fires, 77% understanding recycling reduces the need to mine for new raw materials, and 64% knowing old tech can earn them some money.
Paula Coughlan, chief people, communications & sustainability officer at Currys, says: “People understand why recycling tech matters, but too often, that’s where it stops.
“Track the Tech shows exactly what happens once a device is dropped off in-store – as it enters the Currys network and is placed in the hands of our tech experts. The film gives customers confidence that their data is secure and that their devices are put to good use. Our ambition is to give tech its longest life, making it simple, secure, worthwhile and reassuring for customers to pass it on.”
[image credit: Currys]
