Brits can earn up to to £541 from old tech to cover Christmas costs, research shows

With just 72 days until Christmas and $60\%$of Brits already concerned about affording the festive season, Virgin Media O2 has relaunched its O2 Recycle scheme, urging households to cash in on old gadgets.

The company’s new research reveals that people could make up to £541 from their old tech, enough to cover the estimated costs of gifts, food, and decorations.

The timing of the revamp coincides with International E-Waste Day (October 14th), underscoring the dual benefit of the scheme: providing a cash boost while tackling the UK’s e-waste problem.

Cost-conscious households estimate needing to spend an average of £$311$ on gifts, £$169$ on food, and £$82$ on decorations – costs that could be fully offset by trading in unused smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, MacBooks, and consoles, claims Virgin Media O2.

This financial incentive is strong, with more than two-thirds ($67$ per cent) of respondents confirming they would recycle their old tech if they knew it would cover their festive spending.

Virgin Media O2 has made the process simpler, allowing people to trade in up to five devices at once, regardless of their mobile operator. The company guarantees secure data wiping and ensures obsolete items are recycled or broken down, with zero parts being sent to landfill. Furthermore, customers can opt for cash or credit towards a new device.

Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Virgin Media O2, highlighted the opportunity: “We know many Brits are worried about how they’ll afford the cost of Christmas, but they could be sitting on a treasure trove of unused tech that could make them extra cash in time for the festive season.”

Since its launch in 2009, O2 Recycle has processed over 4 million devices and paid out more than £354 million to consumers. The service offers average payouts of £$148$ for smartphones and £$112$ for tablets, providing a straightforward way for families to give their gadgets a second life and ease the financial strain ahead of the holidays. 

With O2 Recycle, on average, Brits can make:

• Smartphones – £148
• Wearables / smartwatches – £78
• Tablets – £112
• Earbuds – £46
• Consoles – £34
• MacBooks – £78

O2 Recycle