BSI report on trust in the circular economy

The Tipping Point: Building Trust in the Circular Economy report explores the behavioural barriers preventing consumers in the UK from embracing circular products. More than 8,000 people across eight countries were surveyed as part of this study to understand attitudes towards circularity and engagement with the circular economy. This included a sample of respondents from Scotland proportionate to its population share of the UK.

The study found that respondents in the UK are keen to transition from a linear to a circular economy. A total of 89% agreed that this should be a priority for businesses and government in addressing environmental challenges, while 80% recognised that their purchasing decisions can have an impact. Many UK-based respondents identified as early adopters of circular behaviours, including recycling (73%), reusing products (69%), and repairing goods (62%). However, several barriers remain:

• Good intentions are undermined by persistent fears around the quality (59%), safety (55%), and reliability (55%) of refurbished goods.

• As a result, most respondents were unwilling to change their behaviour—for example, only 36% would consider buying second-hand technology; 35% would purchase “wonky” food produce; 17% would buy a refurbished bike or scooter; and 21% would consider buying second-hand fittings or appliances.

• Assurance of performance can directly counter scepticism and demonstrate that circularity does not necessitate compromise. For instance, 65% of respondents said that with guarantees of quality and safety, they would trust refurbished, reprocessed, and reused medical equipment.

The research emphasises that transforming the economy requires collaboration between policy and industry, both on platforms and technologies and in developing a shared language and agreed rules of engagement. In particular, harmonisation through standardisation can build trust by fostering clarity, consistency, and comparability.