Reichelt elektronik questioned how and whether sustainability is a purchasing criterion for the population and a discriminating factor for certain products, especially electronic products. In collaboration with the research institute OnePoll, in August the company surveyed a sample of 1,000 Italian respondents to assess the impact of sustainability on the purchasing process for electrical and electronic devices and equipment. Generally speaking, it can be said that Italians make sustainability a fundamental element in the choice and purchase of an electronic device, despite the fact that costs are still too high and there are still concerns about disposal.
Sustainability as a purchasing criterion
When it comes to buying electronic equipment, 52% of the Italian population surveyed by reichelt elektronik often pay attention to sustainability and say they prefer "greener" products, compared to 39% who are totally sustainable when it comes to electronic purchases. Labels relating to the energy efficiency level of a given appliance are also a crucial element, both for purchases in physical shops and online: 59% of the population surveyed, in fact, always consult the information on labels.
The survey also shows that Italians are willing to pay a higher price to choose a sustainable product, on average around +10%, especially when it comes to household appliances and large equipment. On the other hand, Italians are willing to spend an average of around 9% more for a small device such as a smartphone. According to reichelt elektronik data, young people aged between 18 and 24(31% of the surveyed population) are the most sensitive to the issue and are more willing to buy more expensive products as long as they are sustainable (up to +9.3% compared to the initial cost), followed by the 25-34 age group (28%) which is willing to pay an average of +9.6%. Only 11% of the over-55 population would instead spend +6.7% for a more sustainable product.
Used and repaired compared
The analysis shows that almost half of the respondents (45%) have experimented with buying used electronic products, a choice dictated mainly by the possibility of saving money (67%), as only 23% of respondents bought used products for sustainability reasons.
At the same time, 78% of the population surveyed have tried to have an electronic product repaired by a professional. However, although 52% said that repairing an electronic device is useful, 65% of them consider this option to be sometimes more expensive than buying a new device. 33% do not consider this alternative as they prefer to own a new generation, state-of-the-art device.
But how long does an electronic product last?
The majority of respondents(55%) stated that they tend to replace a device or electronic product only when it is no longer functional or if it is lost. The average lifespan varies by product category: large household appliances, such as washing machines or refrigerators, have the longest average lifespan of around 7.6 years, while small devices, such as smartphones, are used on average for around four years and three months.
The survey showed that an overwhelming majority of Italians, 71%, agreed that manufacturers of electronic equipment "forcibly" limit their use beyond a certain amount of time in order to boost sales.
The importance of disposal
Although 77% of Italian respondents are aware of the hazardous substances in older electrical appliances, there is still a lot to learn about how to recycle them: less than half (45%) have recycled such products in special disposal centres, while only 40% have returned a device to a physical shop and 26% to an online retailer.
Legislative Decree 49/2014 stipulates that retailers of electrical and electronic equipment with at least 400m2 of sales space (fixed) or storage and dispatch space (online) are obliged to accept appliances on a 0:1 take-back basis. The legislation requires retailers to take back small WEEE, with a maximum size of less than 25 cm, free of charge, even when the consumer does not make a purchase. Only 52% of Italians are aware of this possibility, while 79% of them are convinced that the only viable alternative is to dispose of these devices at an appropriate disposal centre.
The close link between purchasing patterns andCO2footprint
The old belief that shopping in physical shops is more environmentally friendly than online shopping has been shattered by the pandemic outbreak. 43% of survey respondents believe that online shopping is environmentally friendly because it is delivered in batches: intelligent planning of delivery routes can save up to 60%CO2. For 41%, the online shopping process, and the subsequent storage in department stores, saves electricity. On the other hand, 40% emphasise that shopping in physical shops is only sustainable if it is done by non-polluting means, such as cycling, e-cars, public transport or walking.
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