Closed-Door Roundtable: Could industry guidance on labelling boost consumer confidence in refurbished phones?

Invitation only

Refurbished smartphones sales continue to grow rapidly, outpacing the new device market in recent years. Yet in most countries, refurbished phones still represent under 10% of total mobile sales, leaving a major commercial and circularity opportunity on the table. 

The GSMA Global Consumer Survey on Circularity shows that nearly half of respondents globally would consider opting for refurbished for their next phone purchase. But consumer confidence in refurbished devices remains hindered by inconsistent grading practices, fragmented product information and variable transparency around refurbishment processes. For consumers, this makes comparing devices difficult. For industry players, it limits scale, customer satisfaction and revenue potential. 

To address this, the GSMA is exploring the development of industry guidance for refurbished phone labelling – aimed at improving transparency, harmonising product information, and supporting higher quality, more trusted device offerings. 

This closed-door roundtable, held under Chatham House Rule, will bring together senior leaders from across the value chain to discuss how industry guidance on labelling can help increase consumer confidence in refurbished phones, and how the industry can collaborate to support its implementation. 

Participants (by invitation only) 

• Mobile network operators 

• Device refurbishers, traders and sellers 

• Mobile device manufacturers 

Discussion questions 

• What is the state of play on grading and labelling of refurbished phones and other refurbished electronics? 

• Which labelling elements (e.g. physical condition/grading, battery health level, etc.) and details are likely to be most important to potential refurbished phone buyers in influencing their purchase decision? 

• What roles could different stakeholders across the value chain play in supporting an industry-wide guidance on a refurbished phone label? What are the potential barriers to adoption, and how can they be overcome?  

• How could current and future requirements, regulations, other product labelling requirements, and innovations (e.g. digital product passports, eco-design/energy labelling) support or hinder the implementation of the label? 

For more information, please contact George Kamiya (gkamiya@gsma.com).