- New Virgin Media O2 research reveals more than two in three (67%) Brits want to recycle their unwanted tech to make extra money.
- With fewer than 72 days until Christmas, cost-conscious Brits can make up to £541 for their unwanted devices via O2 Recycle, covering key Christmas costs.
- Coinciding with International E-Waste Day (14 October), O2 Recycle has been relaunched to make it easier for people to trade in their devices for cash or credit towards new tech.
Brits can earn up to £541 for their unwanted tech to help them afford the cost of Christmas, according to new research from Virgin Media O2.
By trading in their old tech with O2 Recycle, cash-strapped households could cover key Christmas costs, with Brits estimating they’ll need to spend big on gifts (£311), food (£169) and decorations (£82).
It comes as Virgin Media O2 has revamped the pioneering scheme, making it even easier and simpler for people to recycle their unused gadgets, including smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, earbuds, MacBooks and consoles.
Counting the cost of Christmas
With just 72 days until the big day, 60% of Brits are already concerned about how they’ll afford all the trimmings for the festive period, with four in 10 (40%) already looking for ways to make extra money.
Perhaps that’s why more than two thirds (67%) would recycle their old tech for cash if they knew it would cover their Christmas spending.
With some of the most-wanted gadgets released in 2025, from the latest consoles to headline-grabbing smartphones, 64% would trade in their old device to buy a new one in time for the festive season.
And with 55% of Brits saying their kids have put the latest and greatest tech at the top of their wish list for Santa, two thirds (66%) want extra money to make Christmas special for their families.
The research, which coincides with International E-Waste Day (14 October), also found that 60% of people want to give their unused gadgets a second life by recycling them, where it can be repaired, refurbished and resold to someone else.
Tech recycling made easy
As part of the upgrades to O2 Recycle, which is available to anyone regardless of their mobile operator, people can now trade in up to five devices at once and send in obsolete items that will be recycled or broken down, with zero parts being sent to landfill.
Devices can be sent with free postage, where they will be securely data wiped, and then refurbished, repaired and resold, or recycled.
Additionally, people buying devices or mobile plans from O2, whether in store, online or on the phone, can trade in their unwanted smartphone, tablet or smartwatch against the new device or airtime plan, or receive cash for their device.
O2 Recycle launched in 2009 and has recycled more than 4 million devices and paid out more than £354 million to consumers. With O2 Recycle, on average, Brits can make:
- Smartphones – £148
- Wearables / smartwatches – £78
- Tablets – £112
- Earbuds – £46
- Consoles – £34
- MacBooks – £78
Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:
“We know many Brits are worried about how they’ll afford the cost of Christmas, but they could be sitting on a treasure trove of unused tech that could make them extra cash in time for the festive season.
“With our revamped O2 Recycle service, we’ve made it easier than ever to trade in unwanted gadgets so they can be given a second life, while giving Brits a cashback boost or credit towards a new device.
“With more than four million devices recycled, Virgin Media O2 is proud to lead the way in tackling e-waste and driving device reuse across the UK.”
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