Vodacom says it has sold 51,000+ refurbished smartphones via Good As New in South Africa, tying the push to trade-ins, recycling, and e-waste cuts.
Vodacom has sold more than 51,000 refurbished smartphones through its Good As New programme in South Africa, as it tries to reduce e-waste and keep devices in use for longer.
Vodacom said the Good As New programme offers cheaper, quality-checked smartphones while supporting a circular economy. A circular economy means products are reused and repaired instead of being thrown away after first use.
The company said the refurbished device sales sit under its RedLovesGreen initiatives. Those initiatives focus on reuse, recycling, and more responsible device management.
Vodacom also pointed to the scale of the e-waste problem. It said South Africa produces about 530,000 tonnes of e-waste per year, citing the United Nations Global E-Waste Monitor.
Alongside refurbished phone sales, Vodacom runs a device trade-in programme. Customers can trade in eligible phones for a monthly discount on an upgrade or a new Vodacom line.
Vodacom said trade-ins are available at participating stores for selected Samsung, Apple, Huawei, and Vivo models. Devices must not be blacklisted, must power on without being plugged in, and must pass an in-store diagnostic test.
Vodacom also described a broader recycling setup that includes partnerships and campaigns. It said it partnered with Circular Energy, a Producer Responsibility Organisation recognised by South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, to improve device collection and formal recycling.
Through that partnership, Vodacom customers can request home collection of pre-owned devices by filling out a form on Circular Energy’s website. Vodacom also said it recycled more than 1,273 tonnes of network equipment in its last financial year.
Refurbished smartphones can widen access to decent devices without forcing buyers into the full cost of a new handset. For app builders and digital service operators, more working smartphones in circulation can translate into more reachable users.
E-waste is also becoming a cost and compliance issue, not just a climate issue. More formal take-back and recycling programmes can help shift device disposal away from informal dumping and toward tracked recovery of materials.
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