- New research from Virgin Media O2 found two thirds of Brits want to recycle their unwanted tech to make extra money.
- It comes as almost half surveyed believe their Christmas spending will be higher than last year.
- With O2 Recycle, households could make, on average, £446, ahead of the festive season.
- To mark International E-Waste Day (14 October), Virgin TV customers can enjoy Disney Pixar Hit animation, WALL-E, on Chanel 100 at no extra cost, where families can learn about the importance of recycling and caring for the planet.
With almost 7 in 10 Brits already worried about affording the cost of Christmas, new research from Virgin Media O2 reveals people could boost their festive finances by almost £450 from recycling their unwanted tech.
With less than 80 days until the big day, Virgin Media O2’s research has found that 68% of Brits are desperate to make extra cash so they can afford gifts, days out and decorations.
Almost half (49%) say they’re expecting their Christmas spending to increase compared to last year, with nearly two thirds (65%) saying they need to find new ways to afford the Christmas season.
Brits are already making difficult decisions over how they’ll spend their money, with 70% planning to forego gifts for their friends, 49% cutting festive outings, and more than a fifth (22%) not travelling to see loved ones.
Cash for Christmas
The research found more than two thirds (67%) say they’d recycle their unwanted tech to make extra money, while 37% would sell an unwanted console, and a further 35% are willing to part with an old smartphone.
With two thirds keen to give their old electricals a second life as they could be used by someone else, the findings come ahead of International E-waste Day (Monday 14 October) which aims to raise awareness of electrical waste which is the fastest growing waste stream in the world.
According to the latest UN’s General E-Waste Monitor, in 2022, 62 billion kilograms of e-waste were generated globally – the equivalent of 1.55 million trucks filled with e-waste lined up along the Earth’s equator.
Turning old devices into festive cheer
Virgin Media O2 can help Brits give their unwanted tech a second life with its O2 Recycle service where anyone – regardless of their mobile operator – has the opportunity to trade in their devices in return for cash.
People can send their unwanted tech to O2 Recycle with free postage where it will be repaired, refurbished and resold, or recycled – with zero parts going to landfill. The initiative accepts smartphones, tablets, wearables, earbuds, MacBooks and consoles.
Since its launch in 2009, O2 Recycle has recycled almost four million devices and paid out £347 million to consumers. Last year the initiative processed almost 180,000 devices which were saved from landfill by being resold as refurbished devices to customers, or recycled.
With the average UK home having four unused devices, people could cash in with their old tech and make around £446 in time for Christmas.
On average, O2 Recycle pays out:
- £80.16 for consoles
- £53.52 for earbuds
- £205.17 for laptops or MacBooks
- £136.46 for smartphones
- £144.52 for tablets
- £81.36 for wearables/smartwatches
Nicola Green from Virgin Media O2 said:
“Brits are sitting on a treasure trove of unused tech worth almost £450 which could earn them much needed extra cash in time for Christmas while also reducing e-waste.
“With our O2 Recycle service, anyone can send in their unwanted devices – from phones to laptops and consoles – and boost their festive finances. Meanwhile their old tech can be given a second life or recycled – with zero parts going to landfill.”
WALL-E on Virgin TV
To mark International E-waste Day and in partnership with Disney+, to encourage families to talk about the importance of recycling and caring for the planet, Virgin Media O2 is making Disney and Pixar’s hit animation, WALL-E, available at no extra cost for all Virgin TV customers via Channel 100.
It is available to watch at 7pm on 14th October 2024.
ENDS
Strand Partners specialist research team surveyed online 1,020 representative members of the UK public between 19.09.24 and 20.09.24. The sample is representative by age, gender and NUTs 1 region to the UK public based on the latest census data.
Our survey estimated the value of unused devices by:
- Asking the public to estimate how many unused devices they had in their household. This included mobile phones, tablet, smartwatches, hearables e.g. headphones, Airpods, gaming consoles and MacBooks / laptops.
- For each item, comparing it to the average amount O2 Recycle has paid out for this device.
- Adding together the total value of an average household’s unused devices which, on average, is £446.
Strand is a member of the British Polling Council and Market Research Society.
Note to Editors:
- O2 Recycle forms part of Virgin Media O2’s sustainability strategy, the Better Connections Plan and its goal to encourage consumers to carry out 10 million ‘circular actions’ by the end of 2025.
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