Circular Living Segmentation

Giving you the power to change behaviours

The climate crisis has become a growing concern for many people, yet there seems to be a disconnect between the beliefs people hold and the actions they take. A step change in the way individuals buy, use, and dispose of products will be necessary if we are to achieve the goal of net zero by 2030.

Here at WRAP, we recognise that changing behaviours is challenging, especially when people respond to different motivations and face different barriers. That’s why we’ve developed a Circular Living Segmentation Model, to give NGOs, businesses and governments the behaviour change tool to catalyse change, reduce consumption, increase resource efficiency to tackle the climate emergency.

How does it work?

The Circular Living Segmentation Model categorises the UK public into eight segments, each comprising between 10-15% of the population and each with a distinct set of attitudes and behaviours towards the environment, food, clothing, and waste.  

Unlike other models, the Circular Living Segmentation Model offers actionable insights and identifies barriers to behaviour change that may impede positive, sustained changes. The tool has numerous use cases and can be employed by governments, local authorities, businesses, and NGOs in designing products, policies, interventions, or campaigns. The model shows how people think and behaviour across the topics of Climate Change, Recycling, Plastics, Food Waste, Clothing & Consumption and many more.  

As well as providing insights on each segments attitudes beliefs and behaviours towards key environmental actions, the research also increases our understanding of the segments demographic profiles, the media they consume, VARK learning styles and injunctive norms. The tool helps increase our understanding of basic human traits such as conformity, tradition, security, power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, and benevolence.

Why have we created this model?

WRAP set out to achieve the go-to environmental citizen segmentation model for the UK, bringing together insights on key consumption and disposal habits for the first time. As environmental behaviours are so interconnected, a cohesive approach is fundamental.  

The model is designed to develop our collective understanding of human behaviour and amplify our impact by providing tailored support that encourages individuals to make better choices, engage with new systems, and ultimately change behaviour. The enables us to develop tools that work with individuals' existing beliefs and home life, rather than against, involving and encouraging people as important agents in the transition to a circular world, and a better future.  

How can it be applied?

• Engage effectively with your customer by profiling the customer base or prospects through ‘Golden Questions’ and use the information to target
• More effective impacts through identifying a target segment or behaviour for bespoke research to profile and dive deeper into a particular behaviour
• Creation of strategies for consumer behaviour change using combined data and behaviour science expertise