Page 27 - Social_Sustainable consumerism

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It is thus crucial to raise consumers’ awareness and to increase their proactive role (EC Europa, s.f.). The
EU’s action plan on the Circular economy lays out five axes of action that will help consumers to choose
products and services that are better for the environment and, at the same time, provide monetary savings
and an increased quality of life (EC Europa, s.f.):

• Encourage reuse and repair of products through the revised waste legislation; 7R´s,
(see SustraninySusteinability Guideline, Environmental Field, Module 3 Circular Economy, Chapter 1 “The
7R´s of the circular economy)

• Promote energy savings as well as the reparability, upgradability, durability and recyclability of products
in the future work on Ecodesign;

• Improve the enforcement of existing rules on guarantees and step up the action to tackle false green
claims;

• Support the higher uptake of green public procurement and increase its focus on issues related to the
circular economy;

• Help examine how to improve reliable and adequate consumer information on the environmental
impacts of products, such as enhancing the effectiveness of EU Ecolabel and how to address possible
practices of planned obsolescence.

Furthermore, increased demand of consumers for products and services that are supportive of the circular
economy will also create new business opportunities.

4.4 Circular consumerism best practices

Case 1. Lithuania’sReverse Vending Machines - credit for plastic

In February 2016, the government of Lithuania implemented a “deposit return system”, to give consumers
an incentive to return used beverage containers for recycling. To combat litter and increase collection and
recycling rates, consumers would pay a deposit amount of €0.10 when purchasing eligible drink containers,
to be refunded when the empty container is returned for recycling.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Environment initiated the deposit process in April 2013, passing amendments to
the packaging law through parliament a year later. The legislation applies to glass, non-refillable plastic and
metal beverage containers.

To make returns convenient for customers, the Lithuanian government chose a ‘return-to-retail’ system
which means stores selling beverage containers must also receive used containers back for recycling.
Consumers are refunded their deposit as vouchers that can be redeemed in store as cash or credit toward
their shopping bill, bringing additional foot traffic into stores.

Packaging can be returned throughout most of Lithuania, with this option available in shops with an area
of more than 300 m2 or village shops.