A recent survey by Bitkom reveals that around 195 million unused mobile phones and smartphones are stored in German households. This marks a decline of at least 15 million devices compared to the end of 2022. Despite this decrease, 89% of Germans aged 16 and older still have at least one unused phone, equating to approximately 61 million people. More than half, 54%, store three or more old devices.
Bitkom (Bundesverband Informationswirtschaft, Telekommunikation und neue Medien) is Germany’s leading digital association, representing over 2,000 companies in IT, telecommunications, and digital sectors, promoting innovation and digital transformation.
Resale and trade-in numbers increase
The study found that 21% of respondents sold, donated, or disposed of at least one phone in the past 12 months, reflecting a 4-percentage point rise from 2022. The most common action was selling a device, with 39% choosing to resell to private buyers or retailers. Meanwhile, 26% returned their old phones to electronics stores, and 10% traded them in for discounts on new purchases. Other methods, such as recycling at municipal collection points (8%) and gifting devices (7%), were less popular. Notably, 6% of respondents sold their old smartphones to refurbishers.
Call for better recycling efforts
Bitkom CEO Bernhard Rohleder emphasized the importance of recycling these devices, highlighting the valuable materials within them, such as gold, silver, and rare earth elements. Instead of letting old phones sit idle, he urged consumers to either pass them on for reuse or ensure proper recycling to recover essential resources.
Market
Trade-in
Repair
Refurbishing
