Flipkart’s Ashutosh Singh Chandel urges consumers to unlock climate capital in idle electronics. In a country pushing toward a digital-first future, India’s environmental burden is becoming impossible to ignore. Rising electricity bills, intense heatwaves, and mounting e-waste are symptoms of unchecked consumption. A critical yet overlooked solution lies in plain sight: the millions of unused electronic devices sitting idle in Indian households.
Old tech accelerates climate stress
Whether it’s decade-old washing machines or aging CRT televisions, outdated devices are draining more than electricity. They lock consumers into a high-emissions loop of production, packaging, and delivery. Some models can consume up to 50% more power than modern equivalents—an urgent issue in a country where cooling demand is projected to grow eightfold by 2038.
Recommerce turns waste into value
Ashutosh Singh Chandel, Senior Director and Business Head of ReCommerce at Flipkart, highlights a better path: recommerce. By reselling, refurbishing, and reusing old devices, India can drastically reduce demand for new production. According to RedSeer, the country’s refurbished electronics market is expected to grow from €4.7 billion in 2021 to €10.3 billion by 2026.
Gen Z leads circular consumption
Digitally native and environmentally conscious, Gen Z is embracing refurbished tech not out of necessity but principle. They are driving the normalization of second-hand Apple iPhones, laptops, and wearables—turning sustainability into a statement of values, not compromise.
From hoarding to recirculation
Cultural habits of storing old gadgets "just in case" are holding back billions in environmental and economic value. Singh Chandel notes that over 206 million devices are lying dormant in Indian homes. Unlocking this climate currency doesn’t require futuristic tech—just a shift in mindset.
A circular economy built on trust
India already has a legacy of reuse. The next step is building scalable, transparent systems that make recommerce frictionless. From certified refurbishment to digital trade-in platforms, the tools are here. What’s needed now is trust, infrastructure, and consumer confidence.
Via: ET Insights
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