ABSTRACT
The transition towards a circular economy challenges linear take, make, and dispose patterns and leads to more efficient resource use. However, consumers need to accept and perceive value in the new circular economy products. Circular production and consumption challenges current “acquisitive” materialism and its obsession with possessions, ownership, and newness and suggests instead a new, responsible materialism. In this chapter, we review the evidence and discuss the main barriers and opportunities for consumer acceptance of circular economy products. Also, we discuss the ambiguity of positive and negative beliefs consumers have about these products and what it means for interventions to promote and facilitate consumers’ active and positive engagement in the circular economy transition. We conclude that some consumers already accept and value circular economy products and that there are means available to secure the wider adoption of these attitudes. However, a change in the way people value possessions may be needed. It is possible to increase consumers’ perceived value of circular economy products by securing and certifying high quality combined with transparency and well-crafted information and education interventions.
