Old electrical appliances can now simply be handed in at the supermarket. It doesn’t matter whether you bought it there or not. However, the devices must not be too big.
Since July 1, 2022, it has been much easier for consumers to properly dispose of old and used electronic devices thanks to a new regulation. Because then supermarkets and discounters will also have to accept discarded kettles, shavers or smartphones – regardless of whether they were bought from them or not. This eliminates the need to go to the municipal recycling center, which is often off the beaten track, or to the electronics market in the city center. However, there are still a few points to consider when disposing of or handing in the old devices.
New regulations for the disposal of old electronic devices
With the new regulation that came into force in July 2022, retailers will in future have to accept old electronic devices with dimensions of up to 25 centimeters in length even without buying a new device. These are devices such as kettles, shavers or smartphones. However, the obligation to take back is limited to three devices per device type. In the case of larger devices such as computers or televisions, the obligation to take them back only applies if you buy a new device of the same type.
The background is a new regulation of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act. With immediate effect, it also obliges supermarkets and discounters with a sales area of more than 800 square meters to take back old electrical equipment if they sell electrical and electronic equipment several times a year or permanently. In order to meet these requirements, electric toothbrushes are already on offer.
The changeover will probably mean a little more work and effort for supermarkets and drugstores. But they see themselves ready. “The retail trade is armed and on the home straight with its preparations. Everyone will start taking back systems punctually on July 1st and give customers the opportunity to return their old electronic devices as easily as possible,” said Antje Gerstein, the Managing Director of the German Retail Association (HDE), who is responsible for sustainability, shortly before the deadline.
Also read: How to dispose of old electronic devices correctly and free of charge
This is how the delivery in the shops succeeds
In a survey by the German Press Agency, the large German food retailers also signaled their willingness to start. Germany’s largest food retailer Edeka promises: “From July 1, 2022, our customers can hand in electrical appliances in our stores.” And competitor Rewe even revealed what that should look like in its stores: “You simply report to the cash register, then it is checked whether the device is worth taking back.” The devices would then be disposed of properly. According to the information, the same applies to Netto and Penny, the discount subsidiaries of the two retail giants.
Aldi also promises a “simple and uncomplicated return of old electrical and electronic equipment” in all markets in Germany, as does Lidl. There, customers should hand in their old electrical appliances at the checkout. “This corresponds to the practice learned by the customer to exchange goods or return them under our guarantee scheme,” emphasized the company.
Also read: Are cheaper refurbished Apple devices worth it?
Easier to recycle and save resources
For the waste expert Rolf Buschmann from the Bund Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), the new regulation is a step in the right direction. “It’s an additional simplification for consumers,” he says. That is important. Because: “Especially in the case of electrical appliances, the return has been really moderate so far.”
In fact, according to the Federal Environment Agency, the collection rate of 65 percent required by the EU in Germany was recently clearly missed: just 44.3 percent was achieved. According to the industry, not much will have changed in 2020 either. “We therefore actually need many more sales options in retail,” says BUND expert Buschmann.
Retail, of course, sees things differently. “The additional burden on retailers caused by the return of old devices is considerable overall for many retail companies,” complained HDE Managing Director Gerstein. Often, especially in urban locations, only small storage areas are available anyway. “If these now also have to be used to store old electronic devices, things will get tight in many places.”