The European secondary smartphone market in 2026

Refurbished smartphones are no longer a niche. Across Europe, the secondary phone market is growing steadily and the devices moving through it are changing. So are the people buying them.

This is a look at where the market stands, what is driving it, and what patterns are emerging.

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More people are buying used phones, and not just for the savings

The European secondary smartphone market has expanded significantly over the past three years. Growth has come from two directions at once. Consumers are more willing to buy refurbished because quality and trust have improved. And supply has increased because more devices are entering the resale channel faster.

Part of this is cultural. Buying a used phone no longer carries the stigma it once did. Certified refurbished programmes from major retailers and dedicated platforms have made the experience closer to buying new. Warranties, grading systems, and return policies have helped.

But the bigger shift is structural.

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Right-to-repair legislation is changing the economics

The EU Right to Repair Directive came into force in 2024. It requires manufacturers to make spare parts available at reasonable cost for years after a device is discontinued. Batteries, screens, and charging ports must remain serviceable.

This matters for the secondary market because it extends the useful life of a phone. A device that can be repaired affordably stays in circulation longer. That makes refurbished stock more attractive to buyers because the risk of being stuck with an unrepairable phone has dropped.

It also changes the calculation for refurbishment businesses. When parts are available and affordable, the cost of bringing a used device to saleable condition goes down. Margins improve and more devices become worth refurbishing rather than recycling.

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Apple and Samsung dominate secondary trading

The secondary smartphone market is not spread evenly across brands. Apple and Samsung account for the vast majority of trading volume on European resale platforms.

iPhones hold their residual value better than almost any other phone. This makes them attractive to both sellers and buyers. Sellers get a meaningful return when they upgrade. Buyers get a device with long software support and predictable build quality.

Samsung Galaxy S-series devices follow a similar pattern, though they depreciate faster than iPhones. Android mid-range phones from other manufacturers trade in much lower volumes on the secondary market. They tend to lose value quickly and attract less buyer interest at resale, partly because software support windows are shorter.

The result is a secondary market that is heavily concentrated around two brands. Platforms and ITAD operators structure their inventory and pricing around this reality.

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The flagship depreciation cycle is doing what it always does

The iPhone 16 series is now established in the market. That means iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 units are entering the secondary channel in growing numbers. This is the normal depreciation cycle. When a new flagship matures, the models two and three generations back start flowing into resale as owners upgrade.

The same pattern applies to Samsung. Galaxy S24 availability has pushed S22 and S23 units into the secondary market at higher volumes.

These devices are typically two to three years old. They are functionally capable, run current software, and have years of support remaining. They sit in a different category to budget new phones. A two-year-old flagship and a new budget device might cost similar amounts, but they serve different buyers with different expectations around camera quality, build, and performance.

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B2B and consumer buyers want different things

The secondary smartphone market serves two distinct buyer profiles and they behave differently.

Consumers buy one phone at a time. They care about cosmetic condition, colour, storage size, and whether the device feels close to new. They browse, compare, and often wait for the right deal.

Businesses buy in bulk. Companies purchasing refurbished phones for frontline workers, delivery drivers, or warehouse staff care about functional reliability, volume availability, and consistent pricing across units. Cosmetic grade matters less. What matters is getting fifty or five hundred units of the same model at a predictable cost.

These two demand streams create different dynamics for sellers. Consumer platforms optimise for presentation and trust signals. B2B channels optimise for volume, consistency, and speed.

Both segments are growing. However, B2B demand tends to be less visible because it moves through trade channels and direct relationships rather than public-facing marketplaces.

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What to watch

The secondary smartphone market in Europe is being shaped by three forces at once: regulatory changes that extend device lifespans, natural depreciation cycles that feed supply, and growing demand from both consumers and businesses.

The EU Right to Repair Directive must be transposed into national law across all member states by July 2026. How individual countries implement it will affect parts availability and repair costs differently across markets.

Meanwhile, the volume of iPhone 14 and Galaxy S22 units entering resale channels will continue to rise through the middle of the year. That supply wave is worth tracking for anyone buying or selling in this space.

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ITADpricing tracks refurbished device pricing daily across 26-plus countries and 95-plus sources. If you buy or sell in the secondary device market, join the waitlist at itadpricing.com to get pricing intelligence before you make decisions.

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Frequently asked questions

How big is the secondary smartphone market in Europe? The European refurbished smartphone market has grown steadily and now represents a significant share of total phone sales across the continent. Growth is driven by improved consumer trust, better refurbishment standards, and regulatory support for longer device lifespans.

Does right-to-repair legislation affect refurbished phone buyers? Yes. The EU Right to Repair Directive requires manufacturers to keep spare parts available for years after a model is discontinued. This makes refurbished devices less risky to buy because screens, batteries, and other components can be replaced affordably for longer.

Which phone brands are most traded on the secondary market? Apple and Samsung dominate. iPhones hold residual value well and attract strong buyer demand. Samsung Galaxy S-series devices are the second most traded. Other Android brands trade in significantly lower volumes.

What is the difference between B2B and consumer refurbished phone buying? Consumers typically buy single devices and prioritise cosmetic condition. Businesses buy in bulk for staff use and prioritise functional reliability, volume availability, and consistent pricing. Both segments are growing but operate through different channels.