Demand for used mobile phones in Germany is low

DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) – Interest in used and refurbished smartphones is significantly lower in Germany than in other European countries. According to a Vodafone survey of around 5,000 people, only 25 percent of respondents in this country have ever purchased such a refurbished smartphone.

This refers to devices that were handed over by the previous owner and sold to a new owner after a general technical overhaul – these are usually somewhat older models. In France, the survey found that 38 percent of respondents said this was the case, while in Great Britain, 33 percent did so. In Sweden, the figure is 27 percent, and in Spain, 28 percent.

Environmentalists and politicians view used mobile phones positively because they produce less electronic waste and the raw materials contained in the mobile phone are used for longer – this type of technology consumption is therefore more sustainable.

However, according to the survey, only about two-thirds of consumers in Germany even know that such professionally refurbished used cell phones exist.

A good 1,000 people were surveyed in each of the five countries. Industry experts attribute the relatively low interest in Germany to the fact that there is a stronger tradition of buying used products in France and Great Britain. "Doubts about battery life or the lack of a warranty still deter many from choosing refurbished devices," says Michael Jungwirth, a member of Vodafone's management team. But the study shows that such concerns are unfounded. "Those who buy 'like new' instead of 'new' once usually stick with it."/wdw/DP/zb