Page 26 - Social_Sustainable consumerism

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The options for the first type are repair or replacement with a new or second hand product. The second
type can only be satisfied by a new or used product (in ownership) or through rental/leasing.

The Key fingings of thie study were:

• Generally, consumers have a very positive attitude towards repairing and durability. But there is a gap
between stated values and actual engagement in circular economy activities.

• A strong correlation was found between pro-environmental and pro second-hand/repair attitudes and
reported engagement in circular economy activities (repair, second-hand purchases etc.)

• In choices between repair or replacement with a new product or replacement with a second-hand or
new product, the following factors seem to be leading:

• The price-quality ratio of the two options – i.e. does the circular option offer a significant cost reduction?
Ifnot, new products are alwayspreferred;

• The difference in effort required between the two options – the need to find a repair shop and go there
can be an important barrier for choosing for a repair.

• The importance of durability and reparability in purchasing decisions differs strongly among product
categories:

• Durability & reparability considerations are more important for large and expensive purchases
(e.g. laundry machines);

• Durability & reparability considerations are much less important for clothing and other trend-sensitive
products.

• Behavioural experiments show that provision of clear information of product durability & reparability can
significantly increase the chance that consumers choose a more durable or reparable product

• This effect was stronger for durability than for reparability

4.3 Some tips to encourage the circular economy as a consumer

By their choices, millions, if not billions of consumers can support or hamper the successful transition to
a circular economy for improved and new types of products and services. However, a major obstacle, also
underlined by the EASAC report, remains: consumer attitudes and behaviour, always more influenced and
driven by fashions and the marketing of industrialists and traders than by the concerns of obsolescence or
recycling(Green Facts, s.f.)...