The global mobile trade-in market is experiencing notable growth, driven by increased participation from mobile carriers aligning their ESG goals with GSMA’s circular economy targets. The GSMA initiative aims to enhance sustainability in the mobile industry by increasing the take-back and recovery of used mobile devices, shifting away from a linear economy model. GSMA’s sustainability targets require carriers to collect at least 20% of distributed mobile devices by 2030 and ensure 100% of collected devices are repaired, reused, or sent to controlled recycling. As of now, 29 carriers have committed to these targets, with major players such as Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and BT Group taking part.
Finsur’s Stuart Blackhurst used data from each of the participating carriers to understand how they are performing against the GSMA targets. That was not always easy, because data was either not complete, inadequate or even not existing. But the outcome is quite clear. Some operators have an almost perfect score whilst other are lacking.
| Operator | Sold devices | collected device | Attach rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT Gorup/EE | 3,192,000 | 166,000 | 5.20% |
| DT Germany | 2,793,000 | 262,000 | 9.38% |
| DT Europe | 4,388,000 | 273,000 | 6.22% |
| DT USA | 33,604,000 | 9,718,000 | 28.92% |
| KDDI | 5,900,000 | 1,920,000 | 32.54% |
| NOS | 205,500 | 100 | 0.05% |
| NTT Docomo | 7,052,980 | 3,420,000 | 48.49% |
| Orange EU | 5,600,000 | 1,050,000 | 18.75% |
| Proximus | 611,000 | 140,500 | 23.00% |
| Singtel | 687,800 | 14,400 | 2.09% |
| Optus | 1,205,000 | 138,600 | 11.50% |
| Softbank | 3,474,000 | 2,567,975 | 73.92% |
| Tele2 Sweden | 473,800 | 94,300 | 19.90% |
| Telefonica | 7,863,000 | 437,190 | 5.56% |
| Telenor | 859,700 | 103,000 | 11.98% |
UK: one of the more mature markets
If we look at for instance British BT Group that has shown solid alignment with GSMA targets, having collected over one million devices through its EE Trade-In service since 2023. Despite this success, BT needs to collect an additional 472,400 devices annually to meet the 2030 target. The company has already achieved a 100% recovery rate, ensuring all collected devices are either reused or recycled.
Deutsche Telekom faces challenges outside USA
Deutsche Telekom's reporting is complex due to its diverse operating companies. Its U.S. operations significantly contribute to its overall high trade-in rate, but in Europe, additional efforts are required. The company needs to collect 901,200 more devices annually to align with GSMA goals. While it has achieved the 100% recovery rate since 2022, data consistency across regions remains a challenge.
Orange exceeds GSMA take-back goals
Orange is making significant strides in mobile device take-back programs, surpassing the GSMA’s 20% target with an 18.8% rate in Europe. If devices collected from Africa are included, this figure rises to 25.4%. The company is proactive in recycling, ensuring that devices from its African operations are properly processed in France, where advanced recycling facilities are available.
Strong focus on device reuse
In 2023, Orange reported selling 5.6 million mobile devices across Europe. Of these, 2.9% were refurbished, demonstrating the company’s growing commitment to the secondary market. Additionally, 3.8 million fixed customer equipment items were collected for reuse or recycling. To further enhance sustainability, Orange is actively promoting mobile repair services, evaluating their effectiveness based on customer experience factors such as availability, process transparency, and service continuity.
Telefónica’s reporting raises questions
Telefónica has aligned its targets with GSMA standards but lacks clarity on whether its goals apply at a group level or per operating company. In 2023, Telefónica reported an 11% take-back rate. However, in 2024, the company only disclosed that 437,180 devices were reused, making direct comparisons difficult. With 7.86 million handsets sold across Spain, Brazil, Germany, and Hispam, calculations suggest a drop in the take-back rate to 5.56%, raising concerns about reporting consistency.
Orange shows transparency, Telefónica lags
While Orange appears to be ahead of industry targets and provides transparent data, Telefónica’s inconsistencies make it challenging to measure its progress toward GSMA’s 2030 goals. With a gap of 1.1 million devices needed to meet the take-back targets, Telefónica may need to refine its strategies and reporting methods to align with industry best practices.
Inconsistencies in reporting among carriers
While many carriers are making efforts to meet sustainability goals, inconsistencies in data reporting hinder comprehensive industry-wide analysis. Some carriers, such as Globe Telecom, have yet to publish trade-in data, while others like NOS acknowledge their mobile trade-in rates are currently too low but plan to improve in the coming years.
For the full, very detailed report, we refer you to Finsur Substack.
Future of mobile trade-in programs
As more carriers align with GSMA’s circular economy goals, the trade-in market is set for expansion. Transparency and standardized reporting will be essential to tracking progress, ensuring a more sustainable mobile industry in the UK and beyond.
For the full, very detailed report, we refer you to Finsur Substack.
Market
Trade-in
Repair
Refurbishing
