Galaxus must destroy the items after returning them

Fast, practical and affordable: Online trading has become an integral part of today’s world. However, doing business online has its downsides as well.

This is shown, among other things, by a new study conducted by Greenpeace. The same environmental organization asked what Digitec Galaxus does with returned items. The result: part of it was simply destroyed.

According to the organization, a Greenpeace member learned from a Digitec Galaxus employee that electrical appliances worth less than 50 francs are usually not sold again. Environmental activists wanted to investigate this matter.

Specifically, they then ordered 25 products from the retailer for less than 120 francs. As Greenpeace writes, they were then fitted with a tracking device and returned to Digitec Galaxus.

From the data collected, six out of the 25 items ended up at the recycling center. There they were finally destroyed. The products included a radio, a computer keyboard/mouse, two toasters and two network cameras.

Online retailer Digitec Galaxus, a subsidiary of Migros, defends itself against “Le Temps”. The number one Swiss e-commerce company says that everything is done to recycle returned items.

Galaxus says no: Products that cannot be sold will not be destroyed. Instead, it will be sorted and recycled, a Digitec Galaxus spokesperson explained.

According to the company, it donates 90 percent of its unsold electrical products to organizations. They then reuse the items. 10 percent will end up at a recycling company.

Greenpeace’s investigation was not limited to Digitec Galaxus. A survey of eight retailers revealed that large quantities of new goods were also destroyed elsewhere. Despite the lack of information, this can be determined.

Foust said 40 percent of unsold merchandise goes to waste disposal companies. For example, Interdiscount returns 94 percent to suppliers, while the rest goes to employees.

Zalando has also long been accused of systematically destroying a large number of returnees. These are also being sent unnecessarily throughout Europe.

Clothing retailers such as Zalando and H&M have told Greenpeace that they donate their products to help organisations, outlets or recycling organisations.

According to retailers, this method of delivering goods to third parties is very popular. However, Greenpeace is skeptical. Because there is often a lack of transparency about what happens to the goods next.