Exemplar briefing report: reducing plastics through circular practices: sharing, reusing, and repairing in Southwest England

Abstract

Our research examined the motivation, opportunities, and barriers to behaviour change to reduce plastic waste through circular economy transitions. We approached this by addressing some notable gaps within existing studies of the circular economy. Firstly, we offer important insights on civil society contributions to the transition to a circular economy through an investigation into existing and emergent circular practices. Dominant circular economy models fail to engage with the role of the citizen/consumer, an absence that assumes consumers to be rational actors. This follows a policy and business trend that focusses on individual behaviour change through the nudging of citizens/consumers to make more eco-friendly choices. Our stakeholder workshops established that whilst motivation to act was high, a multitude of barriers to behaviour change exist. Our primary objectives, therefore, were: 1) to examine how and where citizens can participate in and contribute to the circular economy for plastics 2) what circular practices are being made, undone, and reclaimed through these and 3) what are the opportunities and barriers to replicating practices and infrastructures more widely.