How to bring the circular economy down to earth
Reducing waste should feel straightforward. Most of us already do bits of it without thinking. Many people already recycle, repair when it makes sense, choose second hand for cost or quality and pass things on rather than bin them, and these daily habits are practical. What often feels less familiar is the broader idea meant to connect them, which can seem distant of overly technical. That tension set the tone for our recent webinar on how to make waste-reducing choices easier for everyone.
‘Squaring the Circular Economy and how to make reducing waste easier for all’, hosted by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK Chief sustainability and External Affairs Officer Dr. Adam Read, gathered an expert panel that included WPI Economics Managing Director Laura Osborne, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK Head of External Communications Emma Jordan, Green Alliance Senior Fellow and Head of Resource Policy Libby Peake and WRAP Insights and Innovation Director Claire Shrewsbury. The discussion explored why this disconnect persists, and what emerged was not a lack of willingness but a mismatch between language, systems and real-life behaviour.
The first audience poll illustrated this clearly. Only 32% had board-level approval for circular economy planning. Nineteen percent were developing plans and 28% said their boards were aware but not yet engaged. Six percent hope to raise the topic soon, while 15% had not started at all. Even among participants already working on sustainability, understanding and action were uneven.
One major reason is communication. Research shared during the webinar showed that people often switch off the moment the term circular economy appears. Not because they disagree with re-use or repair but because the language feels unfamiliar or unclear. Focus groups uncovered two broad types of consumer. One group is enthusiastic about re-use, repair and creativity. The other group is more sceptical and driven mainly by cost and convenience. Both groups described similar barriers. Processes could be too time-consuming. Repairs could be costly. Bulky waste collections in some areas were priced out of reach. Second hand items felt more trustworthy when purchased from reputable places.
A case for jargon-free terminology
The second poll drove home how unfamiliar the overarching concept still is. Just 2% of respondents said they and those around them were fully aware of the circular economy. Fourteen percent felt reasonably familiar, while the majority sat between somewhat aware and not very aware. Thirteen percent had no knowledge at all. Yet the same people understood recycling, repair, passing items on and saving money on second-hand goods. The behaviours make sense. The terminology does not.
When asked what would make the biggest difference to progress, 46% prioritised making waste-reducing options easier to access. Thirteen percent favoured increasing the cost of more wasteful alternatives. Fifteen percent said real-life examples mattered most, and 24% leaned toward using more familiar, tangible language. This pattern highlighted a clear preference for simplicity and usability.
Local authorities also featured strongly in the discussion as part of the solution. 29% of the authorities on the session felt strongly responsible for helping reduce waste in their areas and 48% saw themselves in a supporting role. With policy changes and reduction measures on the horizon, many are considering how these behaviours will fit into everyday services and how they can take the message to their residents directly.
SUEZ-commissioned report
These discussions aligned with findings from the newly launched report commissioned by SUEZ recycling and recovery UK and created by WPI Economics titled, ‘Bringing the Consumer into the Picture: Normalising the Circular Economy’. The report examines how people actually interact with re-use, repair and waste reduction, and where support is needed to help these behaviours grow. In a nutshell, the report highlights that the circular economy will only succeed if we stop talking in abstract terms and start building systems, strengthening coordination, as well as legislation and enforcement, and giving clear messages that work for everyone.
The session wrapped up with suggested hashtags that captured the tone of the discussion. Claire proposed #BuyLess, while Libby offered #PlanetLiving and #BeyondtheBin. Laura gave #MakeCircularSimple and Emma added #LessConceptMoreAction and #MakeItLast.
Each pointed toward the same direction. Reducing waste becomes far more achievable when people have clear information and straightforward choices that fit naturally into their lives.
If you missed the live webinar session, you can watch it on-demand here.
You can download the ‘Bringing the Consumer into the Picture: Normalising the Circular Economy’ report here.