Virgin Media O2 says mobile phone users could bag an average of £638 free cash by trading in their old, unwanted smartphones.
New data from the company has found that the average Brit is sitting on more than £600 worth of unwanted electrical devices, including phones, tablets, smartwatches and gaming consoles, yet most of these end up just being thrown in the bin. Virgin Media O2 said the average household wasted £370 in the last five years by throwing their old tech away instead of recycling it. The firm says millions of mobile users are unaware their unused devices can actually make them a significant amount of money if they trade it in for recycling instead of just throwing it in the bin.
Leaving old phones and tablets to gather dust in drawers at home allows devices to depreciate in value, which in turn reduces the amount of cash you could get if you traded in your old tech straight away.
With Brits potentially missing out on average £638 per household from recycling unused gadgets stashed in their homes, Virgin Media O2 is urging people to trade in their old devices for free cash through O2 Recycle.
Devices can be sent to O2 Recycle with free postage, or taken to an O2 store, where it will be data wiped, repaired, refurbished and resold, or recycled – with zero parts going to landfill.
The scheme is open to anyone – regardless of their mobile operator – and accepts smartphones, tablets, wearables, earbuds, MacBooks and consoles.
Since it launched in 2009, the service has recycled more than four million devices and paid out more than £350 million to consumers.
Nicola Green from Virgin Media O2 said: “Most homes have a drawer of doom that’s crammed with dozens of unused devices gathering dust, that could otherwise earn Brits cash or be reused by someone else.
“That’s why Virgin Media O2 is leading the way in tackling e-waste and helping people pass on their unwanted tech to help protect the planet.
“This includes O2 Recycle where Brits can make money for their old electronics, Community Calling where they can donate a smartphone to someone in need or taking a small device to an O2 store where it’ll be sent off for recycling”.
