Second-hand phones demand rising

BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — The second-hand market for smartphones has surged in recent years, borne up by lower prices as well as interest in eco-friendly consumption even as some still fear buying a dud.

Around 46 percent of Europeans have already taken the plunge by buying a second-hand device, marketplace Recommerce found in a 2025 survey commissioned from pollsters Kantar.

But the picture varies around the world, as “mature markets in Europe and parts of North America tend to show higher refurbished uptake,” according to a report from analysis firm Mordor Intelligence, which estimates the second-hand market at 10 percent of worldwide phone purchases annually.

Western consumers “are increasingly aligning with circular-economy principles, prioritizing lifecycle extension and reducing electronic waste” as environmental concerns permeate public debate, the authors wrote.