Recycling your phone
WEEE is not just the noise you make when you get your hands on a shiny new phone. It also stands for waste electrical and electronic equipment, and it covers virtually everything powered by solar, a plug or battery.
Like all electronic goods, mobile phones contain materials that, while harmless to start with, begin to break down and pollute the environment if they end up in landfill. Our aim at Tesco Mobile is to give your old phone a new lease of life.
How are we doing this?
You can now return your old phone when you purchase a new one from us. All you have to do is return your old phone to the customer service desk within 28 days of purchasing your new one, showing proof of purchase for your new phone. Please don’t forget to remove any data from your old phone before returning it.
Need more information? Just click here
Why are we doing this?
We’re committed to offering recycling across our stores, as part of our environmental pledge to Remove, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
What happens to my phone?
After you return your old phone to us, we send it on to our specialist recycling partner. Our recycling partner then checks to see if the phone can be refurbished and reused. If it isn’t suitable for reuse, the small amounts of precious metals – gold and silver – and base metals, such as copper and iron, are removed and go back into productive use. All tested and approved phones are prepared for distribution and reuse.
What other options are there?
You can extend the life of your phone with our quick and easy repairs. Simply visit our repair centre, enter your postcode and follow the steps. A handy doorstep repairs service is available for Samsung and Apple phones.
If your old phone still works, why not gift it to a loved one with a Tesco Mobile pay as you go SIM or one of our great-value SIM only deals?
You can also trade in your phone for cash or a Tesco voucher when you use Tesco Mobile's recommended partner Assurant.
You can donate your phone to charity. Recycling your phone at your local recycling centre is another option, find your nearest recycling centre.
Look out for the crossed-through wheelie bin symbol
You’ll find this displayed on the back of any handsets or electrical devices where WEEE applies. It’s there to remind us not to throw our old device in the bin, where it’ll end up in landfill and cause damage to the environment, but to make sure it’s recycled safely.