Rising costs of living were a top concern for more than three in four people, while 21 percent saw reducing waste as a significant medium-term challenge.
The report shows that around nine out of ten consumers regularly use reusable shopping bags. But some go further: 53 percent say they regularly buy higher-quality products that last. Almost one in three say they buy used goods over new (32 percent) and choose brands with waste reduction policies (31 percent).
“Proactive initiatives are a powerful way to create engagement and loyalty among consumers who expect circularity and prefer to shop from companies that support it,” said Mr. Macey.
“People are concerned about the amount of waste and consumption in society, but the more effort, planning and costs involved, the smaller the participation. Consumers want companies to make participation easier and more convenient,” he said.
The report also found that Australian households are sitting on an enormous amount of unused produce. For clothing, 38 per cent of Australians said they had more than 10 unused items in the last 12 months, equivalent to at least 146 million unused items.
Initiatives that enable giving were the most popular (88 percent), followed by buy-back and resale programs (84 percent) and company-led recycling programs (83 percent).
About half of consumers also want restaurants to donate food to charity, and 36 percent say they will pay more to support the cause. Just over 40 percent want grocery stores to use local produce, and one in three say they will pay higher prices.
Lisa McLean, Chief Executive Officer of Circular Australia, said we can grow local and national economies in a resource- and low-carbon future through the circular economy framework.
“By decoupling economic growth from the consumption of finite resources, the circular economy provides the sustainable framework we need to build the jobs and industries of the future,” said Ms. McLean.
“There are great rewards for the organizations making the circular transition. It’s a $2 trillion economic opportunity for Australia.”
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