Key figures have warned of the environmental impact of the FastTech trend as research showed soaring levels of expenditure on cheap electricals.
Scott Butler, executive director at not-for-profit body Material Focus, called for Brits to “think before you buy” and to recycle items “when the novelty has worn off”.
Research carried out by the organisation showed that Google searches for mini-fans were 16 per cent higher in May this year than 12 months earlier. It added that annual spend on inexpensive electricals had leapfrogged from £2.8bn just two years ago to an estimated £11.6bn in 2025.
“We had fast food, then fast fashion, now FastTech,” said Butler. “It’s cheap, it’s easy to buy and it ends up in the bin.”
Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, professor of consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, added: “FastTech is growing as quickly as fast fashion and is going to have a similar negative impact as it ends up in landfill.”
She urged people to be more conscious of what they are buying and to recycle items when done with them.
TikTok sustainability star Andrea Cheong said FastTech was “a drain on the earth’s natural resources”.
She added: “The key is knowing what actions we can take… this includes repairing what we can, buying less often and making sure anything with a plug, battery or cable is repaired, donated or recycled.”
