London Co-ops to trial electronics recycling
A service that pays consumers for their old electronic devices before they are refurbished or recycled is being launched at 20 Co-op stores in London.
Spring, a new tech re-circulation service, will use kiosk-style pods to receive the devices, which will include phones, tablets, e-readers and smart watches. The devices are then repaired, re-used or re-cycled. Following the successful trial in London, Co-op stores in Manchester, Leeds, Brighton and Birmingham are planned next. It hopes to have more than 250 pods across the country.
Tom Williams, co-founder of Spring said: “Creating a circular economy is key to living more sustainably, that’s why we’re aiming to get almost 100,000 devices back into the world over the next year.
“Spring makes it easy for both retailers and consumers to recirculate old tech, which not only puts money in their pockets but also has a major impact on the environment.
“Starting with Co-op, hundreds of Spring pods will be popping up at retailers around the country in the coming months – find your local one at Spring.co.uk.”
Mark Matthews, Co-op’s director of innovation and format, said: “Co-op is committed to operating at the heart of local life and creating value in our communities – we are working to develop new ways to provide added services and choice, conveniently.
“Our partnership with Spring will make it easy for consumers to recycle or reuse their electronic devices locally and prevent unnecessary waste.
“Making it easier for consumers to make small changes to their lives, can add up to making a big difference for our environment.”
