JB HI-FI and The Good Guys have become the first retailers to support ‘emeals’, an initiative run by Ecoativ and PonyUp for Good that is taking consumers’ preloved electronics and donating meals to the national food rescue organisation SecondBite in exchange.
To take part, people can use Ecoactiv’s platform to have their electronics goods – including appliances, IT devices, whitegoods, and more – collected from their home and delivered to accredited, local recyclers for processing.
For every recycling booking, five meals will be donated to SecondBite.
“Increasingly councils are charging for e-waste, and often consumers find it very difficult to access council services due to transport or lifestyle restrictions. This service offers a simple seamless solution to managing unwanted items,” and emeals spokesperson told ChannelNews.
To celebrate the launch of emails, Ecoactiv and PonyUp are offering free collections and recycling on most home computing devices and TVs for a limited time only.
Usually, cost depends on the item and how far it has to travel. For example, small items like a mobile phone often costs less than $15 in metro areas, while a bulky appliance item like a toaster may cost around $26 and a 50-inch TV would be around $50. This fee covers the logistics for the home collection and the destruction of the item.
Consumers can book an emeals pick-up of e-waste here.
As a sign of their support, JB HI-FI and The Good Guys are offering this service as a value add for their own customers, and have set a collective target of donating 1 million meals to SecondBite.
“We are currently in discussion with a number of other national retailers, about extending this environmental and social impact initiative and engagement strategy to their own customers,” a spokesperson said. “We trust this is also welcome news for retailers who are focused on making sustainability a part of their commercial advantage.”
