The Circular Change Council is an action-focused homeware industry collective, set up by WRAP and eBay, to increase circularity and help reduce waste.
By keeping household goods in the economy and out of the natural environment, we can capture its value for the benefit of both people and planet.
Bringing together like-minded and forward-thinking businesses
The Council is convening leading UK retailers and stakeholders from across the value chain who share in our ambition for a circular economy. Members have already made positive efforts to reduce the impact of the industry, however, there is recognition that there is a chance to scale that impact and address wider issues which can only be tackled through collaboration.
Our founding partners include IKEA UK&IE, George at ASDA, Very, Sainsbury’s, Simba, Dunelm, British Retail Consortium and the British Heart Foundation.
We are delighted to be part of the Circular Change Council, working collaboratively with other retailers and industry experts to unlock the potential for creating circularity in the furniture industry.
Priority action areas
Early research from the Council suggests that some of the key barriers the industry has to overcome in pursuit of a circular economy include making it easy for citizens to access pre-owned items from a trusted and reliable source, the cost of returns for businesses, and complex recycling regulations.
Based on this, the focus areas for the Circular Change Council, due to be agreed in 2024, include:
- Reduce waste: Put a halt to needless waste and promote greater circularity of household items and their component parts
- Citizen behaviour: Capture the value of second-hand goods, which can be both cost-effective and convenient
- Commercial viability: Help retailers and furniture businesses transition to more circular practices.
There is a huge opportunity for the furniture industry to take on some of the challenges to help take steps towards a fully circular future. The Circular Change Council intends not only to make it easier for consumers to find a good deal by buying non-new, but also to help to keep items out of landfill.
Milestones
Since the Council was launched, three roundtables have been held with Council members. In 2024, the Council will grow both in size and ambition, welcoming new members and convening for delivering action in its priority areas with a view to launch pilot projects to help prompt wide-scale industry and citizen behavioural change.
