EPILOGUE

A future in which everyone has a part to play

The circular economy evidently holds a great deal of promise and opens the door to a potential restructuring of consumption. Its prominence and practices are constantly growing. Many of the markets with which it is associated are growing at an incredible pace.

The stakeholders that drive this economy all have an active part to play in its expansion. On this question, Europeans do not put forward a clear hierarchy. While the largest proportion (38%) believe that new players specialising in second-hand goods are best placed to shape this future, an only slightly smaller number (34%) believe that traditional brands and retailers can also contribute to its definition. One of the key takeaways from this survey is the new role Europeans are playing as entrepreneurs of their own consumption, a role that 28% of respondents see as being synonymous with the future.

The circular economy is far from having completed its quest to influence every source of motivation and interest in every key area of European consumption.