Leverage the new model of “replacement + recycling” to tap the potential of exchanging old items for new ones to promote consumption

　　Zhao Jiang

　　On March 6, Zheng Shanjie, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at the press conference of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress that "four major actions" will be used to promote large-scale equipment updates and the replacement of old consumer goods. One of them is to implement recycling. , establish and improve the recycling system, strengthen the development of the new model of "replacement + recycling", and smooth the utilization chain of resource recycling.

　　Promoting a new round of trade-in for old products is an important measure to promote consumption.

The fourth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Commission held not long ago proposed to promote the updating and technological transformation of various production equipment and service equipment, encourage the replacement of old consumer goods such as automobiles and home appliances, and promote the replacement of old consumer goods with new ones; promote large-scale recycling and recycling, and strengthen the replacement of old products with new ones. +Recycling logistics system and new model development.

This not only meets the current practical needs to boost consumption, but also accurately conforms to the trend of "upgrading" of bulk consumer goods and durable consumer goods.

　　Compared with the previous rounds of trade-in actions, this one has distinctive characteristics, which are highlighted in two aspects: First, the consumer products participating in the trade-in will be more abundant.

For example, before it was mainly cars and traditional home appliances, this round has further extended to digital and electronic consumer goods such as computers and mobile phones.

Firstly, because these types of consumer goods are replaced more frequently and faster, and secondly, after accelerated popularization, the number of domestic computers, mobile phones and other electronic products has increased significantly, leaving a huge space for trade-in.

Data shows that in 2022, my country's mobile phone production will be 1.56 billion units, and the overall mobile phone shipments in the domestic market will reach 272 million units.

　　The second feature is that the current social trade-in circulation system is becoming more and more complete.

In recent years, a number of online second-hand trading and recycling platforms have emerged in China. They carry out used product recycling and second-hand trading through self-built platforms, networks or cooperation with brands and channels. They have played an important role in promoting commodity circulation, gradient consumption and trade-in of old products for new ones. positive effects.

The establishment of these second-hand trading platforms and recycling systems provides basic support for the implementation of the "promoting the replacement of old consumer goods with new ones" and "strengthening the development of replacement + recycling logistics systems and new models" proposed by the Central Financial and Economic Commission meeting.

　　In recent years, as consumers' awareness of environmental protection and recycling has continued to increase, the demand for replacing old products with new ones has become increasingly prominent, which has also opened up a new space for promoting consumption.

Taking mobile phones as an example, my country produces an average of more than 400 million used mobile phones every year. The corresponding trade-in consumption potential cannot be underestimated.

However, objectively speaking, due to the immaturity of the new market model of replacement + recycling in the past, the inaccurate connection of supply and demand information, the opaque recycling prices, and the lack of authoritative standards for second-hand product quality assessment, the exploration of this potential consumption space was obviously insufficient.

In the current context, the second-hand transaction and recycling market is accelerating and moving towards standardization, which undoubtedly creates better conditions for solving the above problems.

　　The development of second-hand trading and recycling platforms has typical characteristics of the development of circular economy.

Take the second-hand mobile phone trading platform "Zhuanzhuan" as an example. On the one hand, it builds its own platform to reach consumers through door-to-door recycling, store recycling, and mail recycling, allowing consumers to exchange old ones for new ones without leaving home, reducing the cost of recycling. Information docking costs; on the other hand, by establishing a professional electronic product quality assessment and machine inspection service system, and using big data and other mechanisms to make prices more transparent and improve after-sales services, consumers' concerns about consuming second-hand products have been alleviated. This will further increase consumers’ enthusiasm for trade-in and recycling, and expand commodity circulation efficiency and gradient consumption space.

This is conducive to accurately combining "replacement" and "recycling" to form a complete closed loop, from which new consumption momentum can be developed.

　　When it comes to boosting consumption, our country has always had the advantage of a super-large market, and encouraging and promoting the development of the new model of replacement + recycling will be conducive to further leveraging and expanding the advantages of the super-large market.

On one end, it meets the new needs of consumers and can maximize the role of "old-for-new" in boosting consumption. On the other end, it unblocks the resource recycling chain and actively promotes high-quality development of environmental protection and greening. It is really a win-win good deed. .