UK leads the way with refurbished PC sales

Refurbished PCs are becoming a mainstream option for consumers in the UK as price pressure and a desire to be more sustainable affect buying decisions.

Market analysis from Context, which tracks sales through European distributors, has noted the increasing popularity of second-life hardware.

“Our latest analysis shows second-life computing moving decisively into the mainstream, with the UK emerging as the fastest-growing market in Europe,” said Jacky Chang, environmental, social and governance (ESG) specialist at Context.

“As price pressure, constrained supply and sustainability priorities converge, retailers face a narrow window to recalibrate their strategies,” he added.

One of the factors supporting the refurbished movement is the actions of leading vendors, including HP, to put refurbished products into the channel and provide structures that recognise and reward those sales.

Context found that across Europe, in the largest markets of UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, the volume of refurbished PCs sold through distribution rose by 7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Within those countries, the UK was the clear leader, with volumes of refurbished units sold doubling between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the same quarter last year.

“For British consumers, refurbished [equipment] has moved firmly beyond its niche roots,” added Chang.

Given that the PC world is facing price rises as a consequence of rising storage and component prices, the attraction of refurbished products is likely to continue. Context highlighted the impact of price as a major reason for growth in the market, with €200-€300 notebooks a particularly strong segment, accounting for around 40% of sales. Sales of PCs priced between €300 and €400 also rose, with sales of devices in that range accounting for 23% of the market last year, up from 15% in 2024.

Although a significant portion of the market is at the lower end of the price spectrum, Context expects the appetite for slightly more expensive machines to continue to be a market feature throughout the year.

“The latest analysis shows a distinct trend and growing appetite for second-life computing products, and the direction of the trend is for higher-spec units with higher values,” said Chang. “In a market with locked-in supply constraints, these can be an attractive solution for retailers and consumers looking for a solid workaround.”

In addition to the impact of price rises on new products filtering into the market over the next few months due to increasing component costs, regulations also play a role in steering users towards refurbished products. Context is expecting the European Union’s Right to Repair Directive, which is due to come into effect in July, will also accelerate the second-life device movement.

The channel’s involvement with circular IT has grown in recent years, with an increasing focus on pitching remanufactured and refurbished devices at corporate customers as an alternative to buying new devices.

The channel has been urged to consider circular IT as an option to help businesses and customers hit sustainability targets, as well as providing an affordable alternative for users with tight budgets. At last autumn’s Canalys Channel Forum, partners were urged to commit to sustainability to reap the increasing rewards from maintaining a position that is economically beneficial and sustainable.