Millions of unrecycled used phones gathering dust in drawers claims Compare and Recycle research

Millions of UK households are sitting on a stockpile of unused mobile phones, potentially losing billions in trade-in value according to recycling site Compare and Recycle.

The study, conducted in collaboration with YouGov, found that 5.68 million UK households have at least three unused, but still functional, mobile phones stored at home. More than half of people polled admit to keeping at least three unused phones, and over two million people said they hoard five or more.

Compare and Recycle’s research highlights that 30 per cent of those polled worry their data won’t be fully wiped during a factory reset. 

The survey, commissioned in July, questioned 2,000 UK adults aged 18 to 65 across 30 cities. The study sheds light on the growing issue of unused phones and the financial and privacy-related reasons many Brits are hesitant to recycle them.

“This widespread habit of not recycling or trading in old devices has come at a significant cost. Over the last decade, Brits have missed out on a staggering £17.5 billion by failing to take advantage of mobile phone trade-in schemes when upgrading their devices”, said Compare and Recycle.

Reluctance

The survey also explored reasons behind the reluctance to recycle phones. Key barriers include the complexity of preparing the device for recycling, with 14 per cent of respondents saying they don’t know how to back up or factory reset their phone, while 12 per cent find the process too complicated. Additionally, one in three surveyed express concerns about their phones listening to them, reflecting wider fears about data privacy.

“The findings underscore the importance of increasing awareness about the ease and security of mobile phone recycling, which could help unlock billions in lost value and address the growing stockpile of unused electronics”, the company added.

NB: The reluctance of consumers to buy used devices will be explored by YouGov head of client services Russell Feldman at Mobile News’s Circlkar Summit conference on the secondary market to be held at the Park Plaza London Riverbank on October 22-23. Register to attend HERE.