How Do Consumers Handle Old Digital Devices?

Technological development contributes to the regular updating of digital devices, programs and other apps designed for them. Increased consumption of smartphones and other gadgets is followed by various negative environmental effects, including an increase in electronic waste. This problem is often addressed at the global level. The 12^th UN Sustainable Development Goal is related to ensuring a transition to sustainable consumption and production patterns. Target 12.5 suggests global waste generation to be substantially reduced via prevention, reuse and recycling by 2030.

In this paper we outline the consumer behaviour towards the end of devices’ useful life and differences in approaches based on socio-demographic factors, innovativeness, and social conscience. Individuals may continue to store them at home, act in a constructive (extending the life cycle or recycling of unnecessary gadgets) or destructive way (throwing them away in the trash). Current study employs data from two nationally representative surveys conducted in 2023 (N=6079, 18+) and 2024 (N=10038, 14+). Analysis includes descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression with practices of handling old digital devices as dependent variable.

The results show that half of smartphone replacements are due to breakage; 8% – due to external damage. Many face the problem of devices becoming obsolete, forcing them to buy new ones. More than a quarter of respondents replaced their smartphone because the old one didn’t support the necessary apps, lacked memory or didn’t have the features that appeared on new models. In most cases old smartphones, computers and tablets continue are kept at home (40% of all respondents). Less frequently devices are given a second life: they are given away (22%) or sold (16%). About one in five gets rid of them, either by throwing them in the household garbage (12%) or via recycling (6%).