Our thinking

Goods: Your waste is money

4 November, 2022

This week we are turning the Goods on its head, and telling you about a few brands who will pay you for things you own… Yes, you read that right! Will this be the year the concept of the circular economy will boom? In the face of the cost-of-living crisis, retailers are increasingly inviting consumers to exchange their old stuff for cash.  

Currys is offering a £5 voucher every time you bring in electronic waste in store until the 15th of November, no matter how big or small the item. It may take a while to build up to a new TV, but every little counts this winter and it is an excellent way to dispose of this otherwise hard to recycle waste.  

Although resale apps like Vinted have boomed recently, if you have some clothes that aren’t sellable (think badly stained clothes, holes, etc.), you can still divert them from landfill by going to your local H&M, Weekday, &Other Stories (brand agnostic) or Cos (Cos clothes only) store and drop them off. Not only does this ensure that the material will be recycled and reused, you will also walk off with a 10% off voucher for the next time you want to buy something new.  

And finally on our radar, Jogon – a charity that looks to give a second life to your sports shoes. Although you don’t get any financial return, you do ensure that the shoes that may be too worn for your runs get to be used by someone who simply does not have any kind of footwear. Or keep an eye out at Runner’s Need, which at times has a shoe recycling offer that gives you £20 of your next pair of shoes (currently running until the 6th of November).  

Amid the cost-of-living crisis, perhaps we have found the tipping point for a more circular way of consuming.  

By Marie Guerinet