Dipli Circular Index benchmarks Europe’s smartphone circularity

The European smartphone market is rapidly evolving toward circularity, yet stakeholders have struggled to measure real progress. Fragmented insights, local disparities, and changing consumer expectations have made it difficult for businesses to scale effectively. The new Dipli Circular Index (DCI), developed with Ipsos as part of the 2025 Dipli x Ipsos study, offers Europe’s first standardized framework to quantify circularity in trade-in and refurbished smartphones. By providing clear, actionable insights across key markets, the DCI is poised to guide the industry toward measurable progress in circular strategies.

What is the Dipli Circular Index?

Circular smartphone adoption is growing across Europe, but each market moves at its own pace. Unique consumer behaviors, cultural factors, and trust levels create complexity for stakeholders. The Dipli Circular Index provides clarity by offering the first data-driven benchmark of circular maturity. Beyond measuring adoption, it helps businesses identify barriers, compare markets, and translate sustainability goals into actionable strategies. From telcos and retailers to insurers and OEMs, the DCI offers a shared reference point to align industry efforts.

A robust model based on consumer data

Dipli collaborated with Ipsos to survey over 4,000 consumers in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland. Each country is scored out of 100, reflecting circular maturity through two equally weighted indexes: the Trade-in Index (50%) and the Refurbished Index (50%). These indexes are further analyzed across four metrics: Adoption (40%), Satisfaction (25%), Trust/NPS (20%), and Consideration (15%). This methodology goes beyond surface-level adoption, revealing how deeply circular practices are embedded and where untapped potential remains.

How the Dipli Circular Index drives decisions

In a fragmented landscape, growth depends on insight. The DCI provides precise, localized scores to benchmark market readiness, from consumer engagement to brand trust. Stakeholders can now identify their position and make data-informed strategic decisions.

Identify barriers and growth levers

Interest does not always translate into action. By pinpointing friction points like low trust or process complexity, the DCI enables targeted investment and localized messaging, turning raw data into actionable intelligence.

Track progress over time

Published annually, the DCI allows the ecosystem to monitor evolution in circular practices. Whether scaling refurbished sales or expanding trade-in programs, businesses can measure ROI and adapt strategies to shifting consumer expectations.

Results show market diversity

The first DCI edition reveals four unique profiles: United Kingdom (DCI 41) leads with habitual circular behaviour; France (DCI 37) shows emotionally driven yet demanding consumers; Germany (DCI 36) is rational and challenger-focused; Poland (DCI 32) is emergent but promising. These insights highlight the need for tailored, market-specific approaches. The Dipli Circular Index represents a turning point for Europe’s circular smartphone market, transforming assumptions into measurable, actionable progress.