The 2025 State of the Industry Report shows green parts are now mainstream, with 91% of bodyshops using them, but only 4% of total parts volume. For UK ATFs, the opportunity is clear: grow by delivering consistent quality, reliable availability and certified, traceable stock that insurers and repairers can trust on every job.
Green parts climb the agenda – but quality and trust will decide who wins the work
The 2025 ABP Club State of the Industry Report confirms what many UK ATFs and dismantlers are seeing on the ground: green parts are now firmly embedded in the accident repair conversation. But while usage is rising fast, recycled parts still account for only a small slice of overall volume, and bodyshops are clear about what’s holding them back.
Nine in ten bodyshops now fit green parts
According to the survey, 91% of bodyshops say they now fit green (recycled) parts, up from 80% last year. Three-quarters (75%) report that the volume of green parts they use has increased over the past 12 months. Yet on average, green parts represent just 4.1% of total parts volume, with most repairers using them in relatively low volumes.
Demand is being driven partly by ongoing parts shortages. A significant proportion of jobs are still affected by a lack of new components, and 75% of repairers say they are using more green parts than last year as a direct result of availability issues.
For UK vehicle recyclers, this confirms there is real headroom to grow, if the sector can address the pain points bodyshops identify.
When repairers reach for recycled parts
The report shows clearly why and when repairers turn to green parts. The top triggers are:
- When the new part is not available in a reasonable timescale (76%)
- When the new part is no longer available at all (76%)
- When the work provider asks for green parts (75%)
- To avoid a total loss at the request of the policyholder (66%) or work provider (60%)
In other words, green parts are often used as a problem-solver: keeping a repair moving when OE supply fails, or saving a car from being written off. That places ATFs in a strategic position with both repairers and insurers, especially on late-plate and high-spec vehicles where avoiding a total loss matters.
Why usage isn’t higher: quality, availability and rectification
The same data also shows why recycled parts haven’t yet broken out of that 4% share. Across all repairers, including those who already use green parts, the main reasons for not fitting any, or more, are:
- Inconsistent quality (53%)
- Policyholder resistance (44%)
- Poor availability (42%)
- Too much rectification work (41%)
- Poor quality more generally (36%)
- Work-provider resistance (32%)
For ATFs, this is a clear to-do list. Reliable grading, good images, accurate descriptions, proper packaging and realistic ETAs are not “nice to haves”; they are the difference between repeat business and a one-off trial. Every comeback absorbs the margin benefit that green parts are meant to provide.
Certification and standards are shaping buying decisions
Quality assurance is also becoming a powerful filter. 69% of bodyshops say they are aware of the VRA Certification scheme for Green Parts, and 55% of those say it influences where they buy.
That means uncertified suppliers risk being screened out of preferred lists as larger groups and work providers tighten their own governance and ESG reporting. For UK ATFs, investing in recognised certification, traceability, and clear environmental claims is increasingly a commercial decision, not just a compliance one.
What this means for UK ATFs and recyclers
The 2025 report underlines that green parts are no longer a niche, good will request, they are now central to how repairers manage delays, costs and total-loss decisions. But the sector will only grow beyond low single-digit share if recyclers can offer:
- Consistent, graded quality with strong images and documentation
- Fast, reliable availability on high-demand panels, lighting, ADAS-related items and EV components
- Certification and audit trails that give insurers and bodyshops confidence
- Clear communication to help repairers and work providers explain green parts to sometimes sceptical policyholders
Those ATFs that treat bodyshops as long-term partners, solving problems, not just selling parts, are best placed to capture the next wave of growth in the UK green parts market.
Further reading from ATF Professional
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2024 ABP Club State of the Industry Report: The increasing role of green parts in the bodyshop sector
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Vehicle Recyclers’ Association (VRA) releases report – Carbon Emission Savings From Green Reclaimed Vehicle Parts
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Record total loss rates: a green opportunity for recycled parts and sustainable repair strategies
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