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The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2020) | Viewed by 47686

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sofia Ritzén

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Guest Editor

Department of Machine Design, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
Interests: circular economy; sharing economy; sustainability strategies; innovation management and sustainability; user involvement; sustainable co-creation; ambidextrous organizations; radical innovation

Dr. Rafael Laurenti

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Guest Editor

Department of Machine Design, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 100 44, Sweden
Interests: responsible consumption and production; industrial economy; life cycle assessment; circular economy; sharing economy; sustainable development; data science.

Dr. Natalia Gusmerotti

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Guest Editor

SUM sustainability management, Institute of management, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa 56100, Italy
Interests: circular economy, sustainability strategies; waste management; environmental law; competitiveness; consumption behaviour
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Filippo Corsini

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Guest Editor

Institute of Management, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Piazza Martiri della Liberta, 24, 56127 Pisa, Italy
Interests: circular economy; environmental management; extended producer responsibility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The modern phenomenon of private consumers sharing and trading products and services via the internet is increasingly gaining importance globally. This promising trend is usually referred to as the sharing economy or collaborative consumption and is even considered a vital strategy to foster the transition to the circular economy paradigm. There is a strong belief that this is a new model of sustainable consumption that will lead to an overall reduction in CO₂ emissions, resource consumption and other environmental impacts.

To date, research has been dominated by the prescription of approaches to the circular economy and the sharing economy without systematic reflections on the impacts derived from further changes in consumption behaviour.

In this Special Issue, we invite conceptual and empirical contributions reporting the environmental effects caused by changes in the consumption behaviour of users in the circular economy and sharing economy. Critical and constructive stands to emerging solutions are particularly encouraged. Topics of interest probe consumer behaviour in the circular/sharing economy, but are not limited to the following:

Environmental rebound effects from reuse and sharing
Circular economy rebound
Circular/sharing economy for responsible consumption and production
Mechanisms and solutions to avoid rebound effects

Prof. Sofia Ritzén
Dr. Rafael Laurenti
Dr. Natalia Gusmerotti
Dr. Filippo Corsini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

responsible consumption and production
consumer behaviour
circular economy
sharing economy
collaborative consumption
rebound effects
net environmental impacts
utility-based non-ownership
redistributed ownership
reuse
second-hand consumption
sustainable consumption and production

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 6358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Product-Service Systems and Sustainability: Analysing the Environmental Impacts of Rental Clothing

by Emma Johnson and Andrius Plepys

Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2118; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042118 - 16 Feb 2021

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 8912

Abstract

Business models like product-service systems (PSSs) often recognise different sustainability goals and are seen as solutions for the impacts of consumption and fast fashion, but there is a lack of evidence supporting the environmental claims of such business models for clothing. The research aimed to understand if rental clothing business models such as PSSs have the environmental benefits often purported by quantifying the environmental impacts of rental formal dresses in a life-cycle assessment (LCA) in a case study in Stockholm, Sweden. The effects of varying consumer behaviour on the potential impact of a PSS vs. linear business model are explored through three functional units and 14 consumption scenarios. How users decide to engage with clothing PSSs dictates the environmental savings potential that a PSS can have, as shown in how many times consumers wear garments, how they use rental to substitute their purchasing or use needs, as well as how consumers travel to rental store locations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy)

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16 pages, 905 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circular Economy Innovation and Environmental Sustainability Impact on Economic Growth: An Integrated Model for Sustainable Development

by Eglantina Hysa, Alba Kruja, Naqeeb Ur Rehman and Rafael Laurenti

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 4831; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12124831 - 12 Jun 2020

Cited by 179 | Viewed by 20840

Abstract

This study examines the link between selected indicators of a circular economy, including essential components of environmental and economic growth. Developed economies are continuously innovating to promote growth and giving governmental support to the producers to move from linear economies to circular ones. Hence, waste materials in industrial systems are recycled or re-used, improving the efficiency of using finite resources with the no-waste approach. The aim of this paper is the following: (1) to identify the main components of a circular economy, which are also supportive of sustainability and development; (2) to check the impact of these variables in the economic growth of European Union countries; (3) to find out if the three components of sustainable development adopted to circular economy (CE) indicators (environmental–social–economic) are significant to economic growth. We used a fixed effect panel data analysis to identify the circular economy’s impact on the economic growth of European countries. Additionally, to support the results of the regression analysis, we employed a second method—generalized methods of moments—computing the Arellano–Bond dynamic panel data estimation method. The model included five independent variables, such as environmental tax rate, a recycling rate of waste, private investment and jobs in a circular economy, patents related to recycling, and trade of recyclable raw materials. The identification of each variable was made based on a deep search through literature. The results of both econometric models showed a strong and positive correlation between a circular economy to economic growth, highlighting the crucial role of sustainability, innovation, and investment in no-waste initiatives to promote wealth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy)

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17 pages, 796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Trap of Success: A Paradox of Scale for Sharing Economy and Degrowth

by Valeria Andreoni

Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3153; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083153 - 14 Apr 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4717

Abstract

Over the recent years, the sharing economy has been discussed as a community-based solution for a more sustainable future. Supported by the development of information technologies and defined by a large range of activities based on the access of underutilized resources over ownership, the sharing economy has been framed as a socio-economic model that is able to increase social bonding and collaboration and to reduce the inefficient allocation of resources. Within this framework, the sharing economy seems to align with the ideas of degrowth, broadly defined as a downscaling of production and consumption activities oriented to increase environmental quality and social collaboration. Despite the connections existing between them, no previous studies investigate the two concepts together. By considering the evidence provided by previous literature, this paper maps the links and similarities existing between sharing economy and degrowth and analyzes the discrepancies existing between the promises of the sharing economy and the impacts generated by practices. A paradox of scale, where the sharing activities fail to deliver as a consequence of success is also discussed together with future research directions. This paper contributes to the existing debate around alternative economic models and can support the design of sustainable practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy)

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15 pages, 2196 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Let’s Talk about Circular Economy: A Qualitative Exploration of Consumer Perceptions

by Siet J. Sijtsema, Harriëtte M. Snoek, Mariët A. van Haaster-de Winter and Hans Dagevos

Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 286; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010286 - 30 Dec 2019

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 8034

Abstract

Consumer involvement plays a major role in the circular economy (CE), which requires a new and more active role of consumers. However, consumer awareness of and interest and involvement in the CE is low. Therefore, we aimed to find the starting points for consumer involvement in activities that promote a CE by exploring consumers’ general perceptions of the CE and several practice cases. Four focus group discussions were conducted (N = 24) in the Netherlands. The group discussions showed that most consumers did not have a clear understanding of the term “circular economy,” although their associations pointed in the right direction. Perceptions, attitudes, motives and barriers in terms of advantages and disadvantages varied among the participants and were related to (1) the functionalities of the products, (2) the production system, (3) economic aspects and (4) emotions such as concern about risks. We identified four key messages: targeting with regard to behaviours, attitudes and product functionalities; aligning with emotions; linking to practical cases; and applying multidimensional CE-related behaviour in everyday life and involving consumers in its innovation. These key messages are helpful in overcoming obstacles and barriers, raising awareness and providing input for sustainable consumption and production in the CE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy)

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Review

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16 pages, 2921 KiB

Open AccessReview

Consumer’s Circular Behaviors in Relation to the Purchase, Extension of Life, and End of Life Management of Electrical and Electronic Products: A Review

by Filippo Corsini, Natalia Marzia Gusmerotti and Marco Frey

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10443; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410443 - 14 Dec 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4065

Abstract

Nowadays, management of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the related waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a growing concern around the world and clearly an open issue to tackle in order to move towards a more circular economy. The goal of this review paper is to analyze and summarize research conducted exploring behaviors connected with purchases, extension of useful life, and management of end of life of electrical and electronic equipment. The results highlight several research exploring the determinants of WEEE recycling behavior, also in relation with different practices (e.g., online recycling); on the other hand other typologies of behaviors are less analyzed in the literature (e.g., purchase of used EEE products, donation of EEE products, participation in WEEE takeback activities established by firm operating in this sector, etc.). Moreover, the results suggest that the theoretical model adopted in many studies reveals its usefulness to predict the determinist of such circular consumer’s behavior in relation to the purchase, extension of life, and end of life management of electrical and electronic products; however, in many cases, additional variables are needed to fully explain the behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Environmental Effects from Consumer Behaviour in the Contexts of the Circular Economy and the Sharing Economy)

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