Of internet users:
Price (67%) and hard drive characteristics, such as storage capability, processor, etc. at 59% were considered important when buying their most recent Information & Communication Technology (ICT) device.
For respondents in single parent households, price was an important factor (83%) compared with households with no children but where three-plus adults lived (55%).
In terms of sustainable factors, one in six (16%) considered the energy efficiency of the product and 12% considered the eco design of the device.
For less than two-thirds (62%) of people who had recently replaced their phone, the old device was still in the house.
Nearly half (47%) said they still had an old laptop or tablet at home, either not being used or being used by someone else in the house, while more than one in ten (11%) had sold it or given it away.
Nearly one in five (18%) had brought or most recently disposed of a desktop computer to Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) recycling.
On 30 October 2024 the percentage of people who had recently replaced their phone and the device was still in the house was updated in the fourth bullet point of the Key Findings. Text was also updated in the Statisticians Comment under the Old Devices section from 'More than two-thirds of respondents said their most recently replaced phone (mobile phone or smartphone) was still in their house' to 'Less than two-thirds of respondents said their most recently replaced phone (mobile phone or smartphone) was still in their house'.
This publication, ‘Sustainability of Personal ICT Devices 2022’, is the third of a series of publications presenting the results of the annual Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Household Survey. The first publication ‘Digital Consumer Behaviour’ was published on 12 December 2022 and covered individuals’ use of e-commerce including sharing economy, internet activities, online learning, and their use of e-Government. The second publication, Smart Technology, was published on 16 December 2022 and focussed on our use of internet-connected devices and systems, both inside and outside the home. The fourth and final publication, Internet Access and Usage in Ireland 2022, will be published on 21 December 2022 and will cover household internet access, and individuals’ frequency of internet usage.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (19 December 2022) released Sustainability of Personal ICT Devices 2022, which is the third of a series of publications presenting the results of the annual Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Household Survey. (See Editor’s Note below for more details.)
The 2022 ICT Household Survey was carried out in the first half of 2022. The data in this publication relates to the experience of persons aged 16 years and over who have used the internet within the three months prior to interview. At an overall level, more than nine in ten (92%) persons aged 16 years and older had used the internet within the previous three months. We examine how they disposed of ICT devices such as smartphones or laptops and what factors influence their decisions when buying new devices, including environmental considerations.
Commenting on the results, Maureen Delamere, Statistician in the Social Analysis Division, said: "In this virtual age, we rely on our phones, laptops, tablets, or desktop computers to communicate with each other, remote work from home, watch the news online, do our internet banking, browse, or buy Christmas presents online, etc. We replace some devices more frequently than others, and indeed it may be part of a contract, particularly with a phone provider, that you get an upgrade after a certain period of time. However, we tend to replace devices well in advance of their use by date as we buy the latest version or model with a better camera or new design. So, as digital consumers, how sustainable or environmentally-friendly are our choices when it comes to replacing our devices or disposing of them, and what factors do we consider when purchasing a new one.
Old Devices
Less than two-thirds of respondents said their most recently replaced phone (mobile phone or smartphone) was still in their house. It may be in a cupboard or drawer or they could have passed it on to another household member, for example, parent to child. Nearly half (47%) of respondents had disposed of a laptop or tablet they no longer use or had any use for.
One in six (16%) had sold their phone or given it away, while more than one in ten (11%) did something similar with their old laptop or tablet.
Some did bring their most recently replaced devices to a Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) recycling/e-waste collection point, particularly for the disposal of desktop computers (18%), while almost one in eight (13%) had disposed of their most recently replaced phone in e-waste collection/recycling.
Factors that Influence New Purchases
When buying a new mobile phone/smartphone or laptop, tablet, or desktop computer, how sustainable are we as digital consumers in the choices that we make?
The survey results show that non-sustainable purchasing factors such as price was still the most important factor for the digital consumer. More than two-thirds (67%) said they considered price when they were purchasing their most recent ICT device.
Almost six in ten (59%) felt that hard drive characteristics such as its storage, speed, processor, etc. were important factors to consider when purchasing a device.
Sustainable factors such as the energy efficiency of the device or the eco design were also considered by consumers when purchasing devices. One in six (16%) said the energy efficiency of the device was a factor they would consider when purchasing a new device. Females were more likely than males to consider this sustainable factor when purchasing a new device – 17% compared with 14% of males.
The eco design of the device was important for one in eight (12%) internet users. The eco design of an ICT device relates to how sustainable it is. It includes its durability, whether it has an easily upgradable or reparable design that requires fewer materials, whether there were environmentally-friendly materials used for packaging, or if the device was designed for longevity, etc.
One in sixteen (6%) said that the possibility to extend the life span of the device by buying extra guarantee/warranty was a factor, while the existence of a take-back scheme offered by the manufacturer or seller was important for just one in twenty (5%)."