Currys launches recycling scheme for old electronic items

Retailer Currys has unveiled a new recycling scheme for old technology which will see people given vouchers worth at least £5 in exchange for their used electronics.

The scheme, called Cash for Trash, will last from March 16 to April 15 and asks anyone in the UK to bring in any old, broken or even unused electronics to their nearest Currys store.

The retailer said technology such as television and small domestic appliances can also be traded in for hundreds of pounds off new products, with the company hailing the scheme as the first in the UK to offer a monetary reward for old devices.

It said the aim of the initiative was to help reduce the amount of technology that ends up in landfill every year by screening and recycling or repairing and rehoming old electronics.

Lindsay Haselhurst, chief supply chain officer, said: “We are already helping thousands of customers recycle unwanted tech every day. But Cash for Trash aims to take it to the next level.

“This trial is all about making recycling easy and rewarding. We’re urging the nation to look in drawers, under the sofa and up in the loft – as these unused tech devices that have seen better days could be repaired, rehomed or recycled into something new.

“We really are accepting any tech, bought from anywhere, even if it’s broken – it might look like trash, but it isn’t to us.

“Cash for Trash is good for consumers’ wallets and for the planet.

“You can be confident that your tech will be handled responsibly by the thousands of dedicated Currys colleagues who are experts in diagnosing and advising on the best outcome for unwanted and broken items – whether that’s repairing, refurbishing, or recycling.”

According to recent figures, there are around 527 million pieces of unused tech being hoarded in homes across Britain, with Currys’ research also finding that 38% of people would be more likely to use a tech recycling scheme if there was a monetary incentive involved and that their personal data would be disposed of properly.