The UK’s growing appetite for pet technology is creating a new sustainability challenge, with millions of electronic pet products being discarded each year.
Research from the Recycle Your Electricals campaign has found that UK pet owners purchased almost 67 million PetTech products over the past 12 months, spending nearly £3 billion on devices including pet cameras, smart feeders, LED toys and wearable technology.
However, the study also revealed that almost 30 million PetTech items were thrown away during the same period, equivalent to 44% of annual purchases. A further six million products are no longer in use, while more than 13 million have only been used once or not at all.
The campaign warns that valuable materials such as lithium, copper and gold are being lost when unwanted devices are binned rather than reused or recycled. Products containing lithium-ion batteries can also pose a fire risk when disposed of incorrectly.
Animal behaviourist, Chirag Patel, is firmly in favour of PetTech improving life for pets and the people who care for them, and says the question worth asking is how people choose to use them. “I am all for anything that improves the relationship we have with our animals and the quality of life on both sides of it. It is a remarkable relationship, and we only get it for a short time, so anything that creates special moments is worth having. I do not think technology is the thing to worry about. What matters is how we use it. Used thoughtfully, PetTech can help us notice more, respond better and put our time where it counts. PetTech will not replace the relationship, because the two are different things, but one can make the other better. When a PetTech device has done its job, recycling it is part of looking after the same world our animals live in.”
The research highlights the rapid growth of the sector. Pet ownership now stands at almost 59% of the population, while 54% of owners said they consider their pets to be their children. Average annual spending on PetTech has reached £139.80 per pet. Entertainment products account for more than half of all purchases, with more than 24 million electronic pet toys bought in the last year. Grooming devices and feeding equipment were also among the most popular categories.
Pete Wicks, a reality star and famous dog love has partnered with the campaign. He said: “As someone who is a massive advocate for pet adoption, I love the idea of unwanted PetTech also getting a second chance, so it too can be rehomed and bring joy to another family.”
Scott Butler, Executive Director, Material Focus, which runs the Recycle Your Electricals campaign, says there’s a serious side to PetTech too. “One really positive trend we’ve found during our PetTech research is that so many of us are already giving away or donating these items to friends and family when we no longer need them. But there’s still work to do to make sure those precious materials inside our electricals don’t go to waste, and that they are given that all-important second life.
“Please remember that anything with a plug, battery or cable can be reused, donated or recycled. Doing so helps keep other families safe, as batteries from electricals in the waste system cause dangerous fires when crushed. 70% of us are now recycling unwanted electricals but there’s more work to be done if we want to curb the tide of bin lorry and waste centre fires.”
The campaign is encouraging consumers to reuse, donate or recycle unwanted PetTech through the UK’s network of more than 30,000 electrical recycling and reuse points. Find more stories and campaigns like this here.…