Smartphones, flat screens, game consoles: New models, high-resolution screens, faster streaming and wider data connections are driving demand – even if the old devices still work perfectly. A lack of repairability and supposedly planned obsolescence also promote resource and energy consumption. And there are still no mandatory standards such as purchasing raw materials from conflict-free sources, reusing used devices or checking power consumption during use.

Manufacturers are driving sustainability by designing devices for circularity, developing take-back systems and dismantle robots, using more recycled material and using intelligent energy-saving features. It is also important to close the material cycle through repeated recycling. This paves the way for circular business models with product-as-a-service models. Ultimately, it is important to make production itself environmentally friendly and based on renewable energies and to decarbonize transport logistics.