Gen Z leads the way on buying refurbished devices10.9.2025 09:44:19 EEST | Vodafone Institut für Gesellschaft und Kommunikation | Press release
Berlin, 10 September 2025 Europe’s Generation Z is leading the drive towards purchasing refurbished devices and having their smartphones repaired, a new Vodafone Institute study has found. The study - 'Refurbished over New: A Second Chance for Smartphones' - was conducted by Kantar with scientific support from the Wuppertal Institute. More than 5,200 people across five European countries - Germany, France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom – were interviewed. Although two-thirds are aware of offers for refurbished devices, only 30% have ever purchased one. Encouragingly, 40% of those surveyed plan to buy their next smartphone refurbished. And once people choose refurbished, they usually stick with it – 81% of previous buyers plan to purchase refurbished devices again. Refurbished on the rise: Gen Z and France lead the shift Young, digital, refurbished: 37% of Gen Z have bought a refurbished smartphone, compared to just 18% of Baby Boomers. Country comparison reveals differences: In