Co-op has announced the expansion of its tech-recirculation trial alongside start-up company Spring. This will allow consumers to continue reducing e-waste and raise money by finding value in old and unwanted devices.
The partnership was first announced in October 2021, when the recirculation service was piloted across 20 Co-op London locations. Following the launch last year, the initiative will now be rolled-out to Co-op stores in other major cities, including Birmingham, Brighton, Leeds and Manchester.
The trial will continue using Spring’s ‘kiosk-style pods’ – enabling consumers to sell pre-owned devices including phones, tablets, e-readers, and smartwatches. These electricals are then either repaired, refurbished, reused or recycled, enabling customers to put unused electronics back into circulation.
Spring’s Pods accept around 14,000 different devices. Customers receive a payment within one to three days of submitting electricals via a ‘Spring account’, where money can be transferred onwards to a bank account or to a charity.
If a device cannot be reused, Spring says it aims to recycle the components – including materials such as gold, copper, aluminium and steel – avoiding the landfilling or incineration of e-waste.
Research has found that UK households and businesses produce ‘1.45 million tonnes of electrical waste each year’ and that ‘almost half of UK households have between two and five unused electronic devices sitting at home’. This issue is expected to grow, Spring says, emphasising the importance of the trial's expansion.
Mark Matthews, Co-op’s Director of Innovation and Format, said: “Co-op’s partnership with Spring will enable more communities to recycle or reuse their electronic devices locally, unlocking the value in forgotten phones and other unwanted tech and, importantly, preventing unnecessary and avoidable e-waste.
“If we are going to have a natural environment which we are proud to pass on to future generations we need action to be taken now. By making it easier for consumers to make small changes to their everyday lives, it can add up to make a big difference for our environment.”
Spring co-founder, Tom Williams, added: “Leaving an unused device in a drawer means that rather than it being reused by someone else, it’s taken out of circulation and needs to be replaced with something new.
“Spring, together with Co-op, is making it easy for people to recirculate unwanted tech, which not only puts money in their pockets but also has a positive impact on the environment. We've already made a huge impact with our first pods in London and we're excited to bring this to more local communities".
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