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The "Refurbished over New: A Second Chance for Smartphones" study shows that there is great potential but little uptake of refurbished smartphone offerings – i.e. used mobile phones that are refurbished and offered for resale. The results reveal a field of tension: although large sections of the population are aware of this potential, German smartphone users make sparing use of these offerings. In a comparison of the five European countries considered – Germany, France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom –, Germany brings up the rear at last place. The study also highlights the purchasing behaviour of different generations.
Düsseldorf/Wuppertal, 10 September 2025: On the positive side of things, the majority (67 per cent) of international mobile phone users are aware of refurbished smartphone offerings. Given a user rate of one third of those surveyed, however, there is still room for improvement. Germany takes the last place among the countries surveyed and represents the most cautious user group. Here, only one person in four (25 per cent) has ever purchased a refurbished smartphone – a clear signal for politicymakers, business and society.
"The results of the study are both a wake-up call and a source of hope. They are a wake-up call because they show that rethinking is really not enough. We must take action now. A beacon of hope because every individual can contribute to implementation: industry with even better offerings, politicians with even more education, but above all consumers – with their next purchasing decisions," says Michael Jungwirth, Director of Public Policy & External Affairs at Vodafone Germany.
"Implementing sustainability goals is a joint task. Politicians must create the right framework conditions and enable and promote sustainable behaviour on the part of business and society. But it is then the responsibility of us all to take advantage of the opportunities. The use of refurbished smartphones is a good example of this, and it is also really easy to implement – with benefits for both people‘s wallets and the environment – and creates repeat offenders," as Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Fischedick, President and Scientific Director of the Wuppertal Institute stated.
Once refurbished, always refurbished
And what about future purchases? The study also asked about this and learned that 40 per cent of the respondents would opt for refurbished when making future purchases. Across countries, the results vary by more than 10 percentage points, with Germans being the most reticent once again. Barriers to using refurbished products vary from country to country: consumers doubt the performance of the device or do not want to forego the manufacturer's warranty. One positive finding, however, is that those who opt for refurbished products usually stick with them – with 81 per cent of users who have already purchased a refurbished device planning to remain loyal to the refurbished market.
Hoarding instead of recycling: old devices gathering dust in drawers
One problem remains: there’s the new mobile phone in your hands, and the old one in the drawer. More than half of users (51 per cent) keep their old smartphone after buying a new one – where it usually remains unused in a drawer as a spare. Only 8 per cent of devices are actually recycled or traded in. The devices contain valuable raw materials such as gold, silver and copper, which recycling could put to use. This is not only a missed opportunity for the circular economy, but also a problem for the environment.
Young, digital, refurbished: generations in transition
The willingness to buy refurbished smartphones shows up clear differences between the generations in Europe: younger people opt for refurbished offerings twice as frequently (37 per cent) as the older generation (18 per cent). The circular economy is therefore shaping the consumer behaviour of an entire generation. This points to a future trend in which refurbished smartphones will move from a niche market into the mainstream.
Older consumers tend to be the more pragmatic buyers. They often only replace their smartphones when their old devices no longer work and use their phones for longer on average: while the share of older smartphones among Gen Z stands at 21 per cent, the figure doubles to 42 per cent among baby boomers.
Details of the study
The study was conducted by Kantar on behalf of the Vodafone Institute and was scientifically supported by the Wuppertal Institute. It is based on a representative survey conducted in five European countries: Germany, France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The survey was conducted between 27 and 31 March 2025. The aim was to analyse consumer behaviour with regard to refurbished smartphones and to highlight the potential of the circular economy. Further information and the complete results of the study can be found via the link below.
Joint Press Release
Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH
VisdP: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Fischedick, President and Scientific Managing Director
Press contact: Luisa Lucas, Deputy Head of Public Relations
Tel: +49 202 2492-292
Email: luisa.lucas@wupperinst.org
Vodafone Institute for Society and Communications
Press contact: Marilena Preuß
E-Mail: marilena.preuss@vodafone.com
Dr. Julia Reinhard, Researcher in the Digital Transformation Research Unit
Tel: +49 202 2492-389
Email: julia.reinhard@wupperinst.org
Project lead Vodafone Institute: Nathalie Brandmeyr
E-Mail: nathalie.brandmeyr@vodafone.com
https://www.vodafone-institut.de/en/publication/refurbished-over-new-a-second-ch... Vodafone Institute: Study "Refurbished over New: A Second Chance for Smartphones"
https://wupperinst.org/en/p/wi/p/s/pd/2288/ CEVaC - Circular Economy Value Cases for Smartphones
"Refurbished over New: A Second Chance for Smartphones" study
Copyright: Vodafone Institute
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