Lecture 6: Consumer & Economic Psychology PDF

| 1 Consumer & Economic Psychology The circular economy from a psychological perspective Lecturers: Julia Koch & Isabel Pacheco 13 December 2024  | 2 Agenda › Introduction into the circular economy › Presentation of circular citizen...

| 1 Consumer & Economic Psychology The circular economy from a psychological perspective Lecturers: Julia Koch & Isabel Pacheco 13 December 2024  | 2 Agenda › Introduction into the circular economy › Presentation of circular citizenship behaviours › Presentation of study on circular consumption › Group work and discussion How citizens can promote systemic change towards a circular economy Isabel Pacheco, MSc Prof. dr. Ellen van der Werff Prof. dr. Linda Steg Global challenges and environmental problems Climate change Pollution & waste Resource depletion Through industrialization, use of Principally through GHG pesticides, crop residues in The global economy relies on emissions agriculture, urbanization, more than 100 billion tons inadequate waste, … of raw materials entering the Arising from unsustainable system each year energy use, land use, European Union produces more than lifestyles and patterns of 2.2 billion tonnes of waste every Intensive material consumption and year consumption depletes production natural resources and causes Stunts economic growth, negative environmental Vulnerable groups that have exacerbates poverty and inequality, impacts at every stage of contributed least, are and significantly contributes to the product lifecycle disproportionately affected climate change 4 What does our economic look like and what could it look like? Linear economy: take–make–waste Circular economy principles Narrowing the loop Slowing the loop Closing the loop 5 What does our economy look like and what could it look like? Linear economy Circular economy 6 Actors to support a transition to a circular economy Businesses Governments Individuals 7 Individuals can engage in the R strategies of circular consumption to support a transition to the circular economy Make product redundant by abandoning its function or by offering the same function with a R0 Refuse radically different product R1 Rethink Make product use more intensive (e.g. by sharing product) Narrow the loop Increase efficiency in product manufacture or use by consuming fewer natural resources and R2 Reduce materials Reuse by another consumer of discarded product which is still in good condition and fulfils its R3 Reuse original function R4 Repair Repair and maintenance of defective product so it can be used with its original function R5 Refurbish Restore an old product and bring it up to date Slow the loop R6 Remanufacture Use parts of discarded product in a new product with the same function R7 Repurpose Use discarded product or its parts in a new product with a different function R8 Recycle Process materials to obtain the same (high grade) or lower (low grade) quality Based on Close the loop Kirchherr et R9 Recover Incineration of material with energy recovery al. (2017) 8 Can individuals only change their consumption to support the circular economy? Individuals = Consumers? 9 Various domains of people’s actions to promote sustainability Review by Hampton & Whitmarsh (2023) 11 Citizen action to support a transition to the circular economy Systemic change through Citizen Action (SCCA) framework 12 Circular citizenship and consumption behaviours influence each other 14 Results from a representative study in multiple European countries CCB aimed at governments CCB aimed at businesses CCB aimed at citizens Never Frequently Never Frequently Never Frequently 16 16 Results from a representative study in multiple European countries Circular citizenship behaviours overall Descriptives country Mean SD United Kingdom 2.35 1.71 Germany 1.97 1.65 Netherlands 1.60 1.52 Italy 2.46 1.50 Lithuania 2.71 1.52 Never Frequently 17 17 Take home messages Actions can be Understanding Individuals can target Broad behavioural targeted at determinants systemic change repertoire governments, can help businesses, and facilitation other individuals 18  The CircEUlar project is funded by the European Union Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.  Circular consumer behaviors What behaviors have a high potential to mitigate environmental impact? Julia Koch, Kees Vringer, Ellen van der Werff, Linda Steg, Harry Wilting University of Groningen, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency Context EU, Netherlands and other national governments: Ambition to reach a circular economy → reduce negative environmental impacts Fundamental change of consumption is crucial Circular choices now difficult for consumers → policy guidance and facilitation needed Aim and research questions Aim Provide insights into what types of circular consumer behaviors have a high environmental mitigation potential → priority-setting Combination of the environmental benefits and the adoption potential Research questions 1. To what extent do consumers carry out different circular consumer behaviors? 2. To what extent are consumers willing to adopt different circular consumer behaviors? 3. To what extent do different circular consumer behaviors reduce environmental impacts? Method Circular consumption behaviors = individual acts of satisfying needs in different areas of life related to the R-principles (Potting et al. 2018) Selection of 11 environmentally relevant product groups → 92 behaviors Image: Seenons.com Method Current behavior and willingness: Survey in 2021, representative sample of Dutch population (n=2542) Self-reported behavior Willingness if easily available and not more expensive than the currently common alternatives Environmental reduction potential: Greenhouse gas emissions and land use based on previous literature and footprint analysis (LCA, Input-Output-analysis, Benders et al. 2021) Results Done by most consumers (and most are willing) Not done by Not done by most consumers most consumers and most not but most are willing to change willing to change Examples: Rent clothes Buy secondhand or refurbished smartphone Examples: Buy clothes of kenaf or hemp Buy furniture of recycled materials Durable and repairable products Examples: Sell furniture or clothes for reuse Sort waste for recycling Lower temperature to save heating energy Examples: Go on holidays by train/bus Eat less dairy products Buy few new clothes Conclusions Current uptake of circular behaviors among Dutch consumers is limited (apart from energy-related behaviors and product disposal) Environmental reduction potential alone is a limited indicator to identify relevant circular consumer behaviors. Current behavior and willingness are important to consider o Many high-impact behaviors have a low potential for behavior change o Lower-impact behaviors can also be relevant if adopted by many Practical implications: Start with behaviors that have both a high environmental reduction potential and a high potential for behavior change → more insights into barriers and motivational factors  Thank you for your attention Publication: Koch, J., Vringer, K., van der Werff, E., Wilting, H., & Steg, L. (2024). Circular consumption to reduce environmental pressure: Potential of behavioural change in the Netherlands. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 44, 101-113. Contact: [email protected]