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- Title
Plastic packaging: Are German retailers on the way towards a circular economy? Companies' strategies and perspectives on consumers.
- Authors
Sträter, Katharina Friederike; Rhein, Sebastian
- Abstract
Environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic packaging waste is one of the major problems of our time. As a means of tackling environmental damage from plastic, many companies are voluntarily committing to promoting a sustainable use of plastic and the idea of a circular economy (CE). Among these companies, retailers play an interesting role. They are the point of sale of different manufacturers' products and, thus, are in direct contact with consumers. This paper qualitatively analyzes retailers' plastic strategies as published in sustainability reports and press releases. In particular, their understanding of the concept of a CE, their perspective on the CE-related role of consumers, and the consistency of their objectives regarding CE goals are investigated. The results indicate that there is a strong focus on recycling, although the retailers also consider means of reduction by avoidance and reuse. Consumers are rather seen as a barrier to implementing a circular economy at all three levels (reduction, reuse, recycling) and are assumed to need waste management education.
- Subjects
CIRCULAR economy; BUSINESS enterprises; PLASTICS in packaging; CONSUMERS; SINGLE-use plastics; PACKAGING waste; PACKAGING recycling
- Publication
GAIA: Ecological Perspectives for Science & Society, 2023, Vol 32, Issue 2, p241
- ISSN
0940-5550
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.14512/gaia.32.2.7