Future of Reusable Consumption Models

The report argues that shifting from a linear 'disposable' economy to a reuse-centred model is essential to combat plastic pollution and environmental degradation. It identifies three primary drivers of this change: shifting consumer sentiment, private-sector technological innovation, and public-sector incentives. To guide this transition, the report introduces the 'Reuse Viability Framework,' which assesses market readiness based on stakeholder motives and methods. The document outlines four primary reuse modalities—refill at home, refill on the go, return from home, and return on the go—and presents three 2030 scenarios where reusable packaging could account for 10% to 70% of all packaging, significantly reducing plastic ocean and landfill waste.

• The current linear waste economy is unsustainable, with global solid waste increasing from 23 gigatonnes in 1990 to 78 gigatonnes in 2020, and projected to reach 127 gigatonnes by 2050.
• Recycling is insufficient for solving plastic pollution; only 14% of plastic packaging is recycled globally, and only 2% is 'effectively recycled' into an equally useful item.
• Consumer demand for sustainability is rising, with a 2020 Kearney survey indicating 55% of US consumers were more likely to purchase environmentally friendly products following the pandemic.
• Reuse shifts economic value from the early stages of the production cycle, such as material extraction and manufacturing, toward later stages including sales, marketing, and return logistics.
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation identifies four reuse modalities: 'refill at home', 'refill on the go', 'return from home', and 'return on the go'. At-home models require less behavior change, while on-the-go models require more significant adjustments to habits.
• The Reuse Viability Framework assesses two primary conditions for system success: 'Motives' (whether stakeholders receive sufficient value) and 'Methods' (whether systems are in place for participation).
• A successful large-scale reuse paradigm requires six dimensions: delivery-model efficiency, consumer experience, technology advancement (e.g., QR codes and RFID), regulation (including extended producer responsibility), cultural shift, and demonstration of impact.
• Three potential 2030 scenarios for reusable packaging share are proposed: Scenario 1 (10–20%), Scenario 2 (20–40%), and Scenario 3 (40–70%).

APA

World Economic Forum (2021). Future of Reusable Consumption Models. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_IR_Future_of_Reusable_Consumption_2021.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Future of Reusable Consumption Models. 2021. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_IR_Future_of_Reusable_Consumption_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Future of Reusable Consumption Models |date=July 2021 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_IR_Future_of_Reusable_Consumption_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2021future, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Future of Reusable Consumption Models}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = jul, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_IR_Future_of_Reusable_Consumption_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }