CeX Says “Black Friday Is a Load of Rubbish” with a Lorry Full of Tech Waste

Just days ahead of this year’s Black Friday, a vibrant red rubbish lorry turned heads as it rolled through the streets of London, highlighting the mountains of tech waste created by the annual shopping frenzy.

The eye-catching initiative comes after new national research, commissioned by the UK’s leading second-hand electronics buy and sell specialist CeX, revealed that Brits are set to spend over £3.5 billion on tech they don’t actually need during this year’s Black Friday sales, with the average shopper splurging a whopping £202.11 on electronics, with a total estimate of over £5 billion nationwide.

The campaign was crafted and executed by the London PR agency, Here Be Dragons.

The lorry was stacked high with discarded gadgets and carried a bold message “Black Friday is a load of rubbish.” It rolled through London’s busiest shopping areas, including Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street. Stopping outside major retailers, it called attention to the environmental impact of overconsumption during Black Friday and urged shoppers to think about shopping smarter.

The survey, which polled over 2,000 adults in the UK, also discovered that almost half (48%) of people in the UK said they wouldn’t consider buying second-hand electronics, as 47% of them are concerned about the quality of these second-hand items and 35% feel put off by the limited warranty or return policy. In response, CeX has introduced its industry-leading five-year warranty, currently the longest offering on the market, to address these concerns and provide shoppers with greater confidence in second-hand tech through extended guarantees.

The research also revealed only a third (30%) of Brits claim they ‘very much’ need the items they buy, meaning only £1.5 billion of the purchases are strictly necessary.

A CeX spokesperson said: “Black Friday is when people are often tempted by discounts, but it’s also an opportunity to consider the impact of what we buy. Our research shows that much of what’s bought ends up discarded within months, and over £3.5 billion worth of unnecessary items are destined to gather dust. That’s why we’ve introduced our five-year warranty and sent a rubbish lorry through London — to help people make more mindful choices and keep their purchases in use for longer.”

The research also revealed that a fifth (20%) of UK residents only use their new tech for about four months after purchase, and over a third (35%) buy items just to stay up-to-date with the latest trends.

Black Friday discounts appear to be a major driver of these habits, with over four in ten (45%) of shoppers across the country admitting they are motivated purely by the lower prices.

The second side of the truck carried the message: “Tech lasts longer with CeX,” highlighting the value of second-hand technology backed by CeX’s 5-year warranty and quality assurance. The brand’s call to action was clear: choose tested and warrantied quality secondhand gadgets to keep functional devices in circulation and reduce waste.

A CeX spokesperson added, “There can be a worry attached to buying second-hand products – especially in huge sales such as Black Friday. “We want to remind people that there’s a smarter way to purchase by shopping around for quality, second-hand tech that can save money, reduce waste, and keep gadgets in use for longer.”

The research also discovered that headphones (22%), laptops (20%), smartwatches (19%), and mobile phones (18%) are among this year’s most sought-after Black Friday purchases.

Yet, with over half (57%) of Brits admitting they have up to eight unused gadgets sitting at home, CeX is urging consumers to make more conscious decisions and ensure technology stays in use for as long as possible.