eBay and insurers start drive to recycle car parts

eBay UK is joining forces with insurers Aviva & LV to encourage the use of recycled ‘green’ car parts within the automotive sector. The drive encourages motorists to use a more sustainable and faster way to get their cars back on the road. 

Through eBay UK, garages and car owners can source the exact part they need to do the job, with delivery times as short as three days, allowing drivers to get their cars repaired much more quickly than if they were using new parts. 

eBay is also working with green parts sellers to ensure that every product sold is certified, giving buyers complete faith that their cars will be repaired with reliable elements. 

For some repairers – like James Dunn – from AW Repair, the use of green parts has slashed waiting times for customers, with green parts available in just three days compared to longer delays. Insurers, such as eBay’s partners, are now offering customers these recycled options, increasing sustainability in the process.

eBay is also lobbying for garages to be part of the green parts revolution, by working with partners like whocanfixmycar to provide access to recycled car parts to over 8,000 garages. 

The use of recycled car parts is increasing within the industry, as Brits are become more aware of the benefits of using sustainable options. Meanwhile, sales of recycled car parts have risen by 24% YOY in the first seven months of 2021 on eBay, with 92 certified recyclers on the platform. This follows an 11% rise in sales of green parts between 2019 and 2020, as garages and consumers wake up to the time-saving and environmental benefits of choosing recycled parts.

But eBay would like this number to be even higher and the use of green parts to become even more commonplace. That’s why the online marketplace is working on a long-term programme to help the UK’s automotive sector substantially reduce its carbon footprint and the UK achieve its overall recycling targets. 

In addition, recycled car parts have a huge benefit on the environment, research estimates that if all insurance demand had been filled by recycling parts in 2019 nearly 47,000 tonnes of carbon emissions could have been saved. 

Laura Richards, Senior Automotive Business Manager at eBay UK, commented: “Many drivers are unaware of the huge benefits that green parts can have when looking to get their cars repaired. The number one priority when your car breaks down is getting back on the road as quickly as possible and green parts can play a vital role in this, especially when Brexit is slowing the importing process. The environmental benefit of green parts is huge, and at eBay we’re doing all we can to offer these options to our customers and partners.” 

James Dunn, Group Operations Director at AW Repair Group, said: “Recycled  green parts have been a great alternative solution for us, particularly in the current climate when the manufacturer and supply of parts has been hindered. Green parts help complete repairs and return cars back to the road more quickly where an original part may be back ordered or no longer available.

“Moreover, and more importantly, is the environmental benefit. Having recently achieved the PAS2060 standard for Carbon Neutrality, this scheme actively supports our sustainability commitments.

“Having a household name like eBay leading the scheme reassures our customers when we explain recycled parts. Now 70% of our customers give their authorisation for us to source green parts. Everyone is more aware of the need to protect our planet and working with eBay provides a simple and straight forward platform for us to contribute to positive change.”

A spokesperson for Aviva said: “Aviva has been working closely with eBay and the VRAC to support the development of a high quality, safe, environmentally responsible and sustainable supply chain to help meet its commitment to its customers and the environment.  We are working closely with all stakeholders and eBay to help co-create the future model that we hope will meet all our objectives and alleviate pressures being felt on the post COVID and post Brexit supply chains that are causing delays in many cases.  We are committed to repairing our insured’s vehicles safely, at a high quality, with the utmost regard to our environmental responsibilities and as quickly as possible so that policyholders have a great claims experience.”

Chris Morgan, Director at ASM Autos, said: “As one of the companies at the forefront of using green parts we have been witness to the uplift in demand for these products in recent years. We also saw a further uplift in purchases when we left the EU, as manufacturers simply couldn’t get the products to customers. Working with eBay has been a great process, and for us it’s absolutely crucial that our customers know that our parts are certified, so we are pleased to see that this is an area which the platform is focusing on, as reliability is key in the automotive industry.”