Stichting OPEN presented the award today at Bol’s headquarters to Rogier van Drooge, Director of Logistics at Bol. Van Drooge stated: “The Wecycle Award is a wonderful recognition of the work we’ve been doing for years in recycling, repair, and reuse. It motivates us to continue focusing on circularity and to improve every day. Bol’s ambition is to make circular shopping mainstream."

“It’s inspiring to see a major player like Bol take responsibility and demonstrate how circularity can be scaled and made impactful,” said Jan Vlak, Managing Director of Stichting OPEN. “They truly deserve this Wecycle Award – let it be an encouragement to stay the course.”

Repair and Recycling
Bol actively works to prevent e-waste by offering customers the option to have defective devices repaired. Even after the warranty period, customers can register their device for repair. Through the Bol app and website, customers can easily request a repair and send the item free of charge via mail, after which it is forwarded to the manufacturer’s repair center. Fortunately, many defective devices can be repaired. In 2024, over 150,000 devices were submitted for repair, with 90,000 successfully restored.

If a device truly cannot be repaired, Bol ensures proper disposal of the item. In 2024, Bol collected 1.2 million kg of discarded devices, lamps, and batteries. All were processed by certified recyclers affiliated with Stichting OPEN.

Extending Lifespan through Second-Hand, Refurbished, and Reused Products
To extend product lifespans, Bol sells second-hand, refurbished, and reused items. While second-hand books and games have long been available on the platform, the range has expanded rapidly in recent years. In 2024, Bol launched refurbished electronics, and after a successful pilot, the assortment more than doubled to include desktops, monitors, game consoles, and accessories. Currently, twenty partners offer refurbished products via Bol.

Uniquely, these refurbished products are displayed alongside new ones, giving customers a circular alternative during their purchasing process and increasing the likelihood of choosing it.

Bol also promotes reuse: consumers can trade in old electronic devices, such as mobile phones, via partner Recommerce (around 2,000 devices were reused in 2024). Additionally, approximately 35,000 items with partially reused materials were sold under the “Goede-Keuze” label.

Return and Donation Flows
Bol aims to minimize product returns and maximize second-life opportunities for returned items. Only a small percentage of products sold directly by Bol are returned. Many returned items are in perfect condition, and 70% of returns can be restocked after careful inspection. Bol’s return center has over 150 workstations where returned items are thoroughly assessed. If only the packaging is slightly damaged but the product is new, the box is repaired with a sturdy sticker and the item is restocked.

Products that can no longer be sold as new are given a new purpose — from return deals and outlet offers to donations to charities such as Voorleesexpress, the Food Bank, Dutch and Belgian thrift stores, and the animal shelter in Waalwijk. At Bol, 99% of returned items get a second life. Only when products are truly unusable due to safety or hygiene concerns (e.g., broken mirrors or opened food items) are they discarded. Where possible, parts are recycled in collaboration with certified recycling partners.

Discarded Devices, Lamps, and Batteries to a Wecycle Drop-Off Point
The Wecycle Award is presented annually by Stichting OPEN (Organization for Producer Responsibility for E-waste Netherlands). This organization manages a nationwide collection system for discarded electrical devices on behalf of producers and importers. Through thousands of Wecycle drop-off points at municipal recycling centers and stores, consumers and businesses can dispose of devices, lamps, and batteries free of charge. Bol’s headquarters in Utrecht also features a Wecycle drop-off point.

For more information, read the interview with Marieke van der Heijden and Arjan Leget on the Stichting OPEN website: https://www.stichting-open.org/nieuws/.

Photo from left to right: Marieke van der Heijden (Manager Environmental Impact, bol), Peter de Haan (Stichting OPEN), Rogier van Drooge (bol), and Arjan Leget (Service Network Manager, bol).