A – ASK
Are you planning to buy something with a plug, battery or cable? And do you have an old one to get rid of? If the answer to both questions is yes, go to B.
What is the Retailer Take-back scheme for electricals?
Buying a new electrical item from the high street? Shops will recycle the one you’re replacing – for free.
The Retailer Take-back scheme at a glance
there are now over 10,600 more drop-off points to recycle your electricals
Free in-store recycling
If you’re buying a new toaster, kettle, charger – or any new electrical item – you can now recycle your old one at the same store.
Old for new
Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled and turned into something new – from children’s playgrounds to life-saving equipment!
Skip the trip to the tip
Any shop selling electricals must offer this service – so remember to take your old electrical when you go shopping for something new.
When did this happen?
This has been live since 1 January 2021 with the Retailer Take-back scheme, and applies across the whole of the UK. Check out your local electrical store.
How to swap old electricals for new
It’s as easy as ABC
B – BAG IT
Find a bag and put your old electrical item in it. If it’s a big item, you might need a big bag. Or a box. Just make sure you can carry it. Then leave it at the door ready to take with you to the shops.
C – CHECK
Before you go, check you’ve removed batteries, SIM and memory cards. Check you have deleted your personal data from any laptops, phones or other smart gadgets.
Find your nearest recycling point
Retailer Take-back scheme – the fine print
- Any large shop that sells electricals will take your old item if you buy new from them
- You have 28 days after buying something new to take your old one in for recycling – and it doesn’t need to have come from the same shop
- Some big stores will accept old electronics from you whether you’re buying from them or not. Currys, B&Q, Waitrose and John Lewis will take back all small electricals – without the need to buy a new one
- Participating stores will make sure the precious materials in your old toaster, torch or ball of cables are recycled and the materials used to make new things
For more detail check out the FAQs below, and our page on retailers and appliance recycling.
Find your nearest recycling and reuse point
How does the Retailer Take-back scheme for electricals work?
If you buy a product from your local electrical retailer, you can hand in your old one for recycling. Just take in your electrical item within 28 days, show the receipt for its replacement – and the retailer will do the rest. Remember: never bin old electricals.
Which stores are in the Retailer Take-back scheme?
More than 22,000 of them. And drop-off locations are being added to our recycling locator all the time.
What can I recycle through the Retailer Take-back scheme?
Anything with a plug, battery or cable can be recycled. So when you’re buying any new electrical item the store you’re buying from will take the old one for recycling.
Will retailers only take back goods they sold in the first place?
No. You could have bought your old product from any retailer.
Does my new item have to be the same brand as the old one?
No it doesn’t. What’s more, you can take back a broadly similar type of product, of any brand. So if you buy a DVD player, the retailer should accept your old VHS player for recycling.
Is the Retailer Take-back scheme the same as Distributor Take-back Scheme?
No. The Distributor Takeback Scheme (DTS) is about local councils collecting electrical waste on behalf of retailers. The new Retailer Take-back scheme is where retailers themselves are collecting in store. This means thousands more drop-off points on the high street, making it much easier for us all to recycle our old electricals.
What is the WEEE take-back?
WEEE stands for waste electrical and electronic equipment. So if you come across the term WEEE takeback it’s probably referring to the Distributor Takeback Scheme (council collecting on behalf of retailers) or the new Retailer Take-back scheme (in-store drop-off points). Both are part of the drive to make it easier for us all to recycle more of our old electricals.
