European consumers' interest in refurbished smartphones continues to grow, according to the 8th edition of the Barometer issued by Recommerce©, the European expert in the trade-in and refurbishment of high-tech products. This edition has been conducted by KANTAR in 13 European countries, including Slovakia and the Czech Republic for the first time.

European consumers’ interest in refurbished smartphones continues to grow

Almost 46% of Europeans have already bought a second-hand smartphone, whether from a professional or a private individual, compared to 43% last year, demonstrating the continuing and growing interest of European consumers in second-hand options. 

Despite concerns around purchasing power that are slowing down the intentions of smartphones’ renewal, refurbished phones remain a popular alternative to new ones among Europeans. In fact, 55% of consumers declare that they are willing to buy a refurbished smartphone in the future, compared to 52% in the previous edition. 

According to a study led by Recommerce© and McKinsey, the European market for refurbished high-tech products could double in size between 2023 and 2029, rising from €15 billion to at least €30 billion.

Western Europe pioneer markets continue their structuration while Eastern Europe market confirm their potential 

In countries leading the way in the refurbished smartphone market, Western European consumers continue to show strong interest in second-hand devices : In France, one in five smartphones in use in 2025 is second-hand—the highest rate in Europe— followed closely by Germany at 18%. More than half of consumers in these countries have the intention to buy refurbished devices in the future. 

In markets where refurbished smartphones have more recently emerged, consumer interest is already gaining momentum: 63% of people in Romania, 58% in Portugal, 59% in Italy and 59% in Slovakia express interest in buying refurbished—a notable increase compared to previous years. 

While the current usage of refurbished smartphones remains relatively low at the moment in Southern and Eastern Europe (under 10%), these rising intentions point to strong growth potential across the region.

Purchasing power, environmental impact, and reassurance: the key motivations behind buying refurbished smartphones

Refurbished smartphones offer real value to consumers, primarily through cost savings. With some new models now priced over €1,000, affordability remains the number one reason for choosing refurbished devices across all surveyed countries—an average of 66% of consumers cite price as their main purchasing driver.

This trend is especially strong in France (72%), Switzerland (77%), Romania ( 72%), Portugal (72%) and Hungary (76%), where cost is a decisive factor.

Environmental concerns are the second most common motivation, with 35% of Europeans recognizing the ecological benefits of refurbished smartphones. A refurbished device avoids around 50kg of CO2—an 87%  reduction in carbon footprint compared to a new phone—while preserving 154kg of raw materials. However, this figure is down 5 points from the previous edition (39%), as price and warranty assurance gain more importance.

Other motivations are also on the rise: 33% of consumers see refurbished as a way to access premium models, and 28% value the professional warranty that comes with these devices. These growing numbers reflect a broader demand for a more standardized, professional market—with trusted services and a wide product range. 

This need for reassurance and trust is also evident in where consumers choose to buy: telecom operators are gaining popularity as reliable sellers of refurbished devices. Nearly 30% of Europeans now prefer to purchase through a telecom operator—a trend particularly pronounced in Germany, where 33% of consumers opt for this channel. Their ability to ensure quality and offer extended warranties helps build consumer confidence in the refurbished products.

Growing interest in smartphone trade-in 

While 37% of European consumers still keep their old smartphones “just in case”, 36% of them say they are willing to sell or trade in their devices so they can be refurbished and resold. This figure is up from 33% last year, reflecting a gradual shift in consumer behavior toward embracing the circular economy.

“The refurbished smartphone market is steadily taking shape across Europe, although levels of maturity still vary widely. Today, a large majority of consumers are aware of alternatives to buying new—and this shift in behaviour is no longer limited to Western markets. We’re seeing strong momentum in Central Europe as well. Recommerce is now present in 13 countries, working closely with local partners to support their transition to the circular economy and meet growing consumer expectations, with the aim of building a truly pan-European refurbished offering.” says Augustin Becquet, CEO of Recommerce Group.

KANTAR Methodology: An online survey conducted from January 11 to 15, 2025, among 7,750 individuals across 13 countries: France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Respondents were aged 11 to 65 and representative of the population living in each country.

Note: When the survey refers to second-hand mobile phones, this includes both devices purchased directly from individuals and professionally refurbished phones—that is, devices that have been tested, reset, inspected, cleaned, come with a warranty, and are sold with new accessories.

About Recommerce Group : 

RECOMMERCE GROUP is the European pioneer in the refurbishment of high-tech products, particularly smartphones. Founded in 2009, Recommerce buys used equipment, offers software and application trade-in solutions to retailers, individuals and companies, and refurbishes and resells reconditioned equipment, including smartphones and games consoles. The company distributes its refurbished products under the “Recommerce©” brand name, and sells them on www.recommerce.com as well as in many European countries via distributors and telecom operators. As part of its commitment to the circular and responsible economy, the company promotes the recovery and reuse of equipment through the application of artificial intelligence technologies applied to the industrial sector. Founded by Pierre-Etienne Roinat, Benoit Varin, Cédric Maucourt and Antoine Jeanjean, Recommerce has become one of Europe’s leaders in the refurbishment and resale of high-tech products. Recommerce is part of the Next 40 promotion 2020 and the French Tech 120 promotion 2021 and 2022, is certified ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 27001 by DNV and is labelled RecQ - ReConditionnement de Qualité, the first European label certifying the quality of the end product by DEKRA Certification, as well as rated Gold by Ecovadis for its CSR policy.

For further information: www.recommerce-group.com

rp@recommerce.com