According to an INSEE study, 79% of people aged 15 or over residing in France had a smartphone in 2022 and 89% had a computer or tablet at home. Ecological concerns are relegated to second place when buying digital devices: only 20% of people consider the energy efficiency of the device and 14% its eco-design as an important criterion, against 82% for the price and 61 % for hard drive characteristics and processor speed.
The youngest, however, show themselves to be a little more concerned about ecological criteria than their elders: 24% of people aged 15 to 29 look at the energy efficiency of the product and 16% at its eco-design when buying, compared to 15% and 13% for people between 60 and 74 years old.
Moreover, only a third of French people think of giving a second life or recycling digital devices. About one in five people sell or give away their computer or smartphone when replacing it, while 9% of used smartphone owners and 16% of used laptop or tablet owners throw them in an e-waste recycling bin or leave them for a retailer to do. But in the vast majority of cases (63% for smartphones and 55% for laptops or tablets), people keep their old device at home. Finally, just under 2% of people admit to throwing their digital devices in a bin intended for non-recyclable waste.
