UK urged to back consumer interest in reuse

One of the UK’s leading recycling and waste managers has issued a manifesto urging the UK Government to put greater emphasis on reuse.

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK points out that UK households and businesses throw away two million tonnes of electrical appliances every year and discard 70 million different household items worth more than £2 billion.

The company’s manifesto, ‘Repair, Reuse, Reform – how to accelerate progress to a Circular Economy’, asks the Government to encourage reuse and repair by reducing VAT on reused, refurbished and repaired goods, extending right-to-repair legislation and supporting the development of skills necessary to deliver a ‘repair-first’ mentality. It says the UK’s 600 mobile phone repair shops have demonstrated the goal is a workable model.

Confidence

Extending warranties and an accreditation scheme for reused goods would also build consumer confidence in second-hand and refurbished goods such as household appliances which, the report says, could easily and cost-effectively replace a fifth of the items bought new every year.

SUEZ believes the cost-of-living crisis may be driving a surge in ‘pre-loved purchasing’. A poll carried out for the company in January revealed that 30% of UK adults said they were more likely to buy second-hand as a result.

Specifically, it showed that almost 16 million shoppers (29% of adults) have reined in their spending on clothes, with 20% buying fewer electrical goods. One quarter (24%) of adults also said they are more likely to buy reused or second-hand items this year than in 2024.

Barriers

SUEZ has also highlighted certain barriers with 40% of consumers hesitant to buy reused goods due to concerns over quality, while 18% worry about being scammed. The reuse manifesto further found that if every UK household reused or repaired just two extra items a year, it would keep 23 million more items in use, generating £1.6 billion (EUR 1.9 billion) for local economies and creating 74 200 skilled jobs.

Ceo John Scanlon, ceo says it is ‘hugely positive’ to see a growing popularity of reuse and repair. ‘We have seen new generations embracing buying pre-owned or refurbished goods, often driven by environmental concerns and the rise in the cost of living. However, the repair and reuse movement still faces major impediments and disincentives.

‘Government action is needed to level the playing field and give consumers the confidence to buy reused or repaired goods, which would help turbocharge the shift towards a more circular economy.’

SUEZ operates 30 reuse shops at household waste recycling centres and in 2023 diverted half a million items into reuse, raising £3m for charity and community activities in the process.