Future of Reusable Consumption Models

The World Economic Forum’s Platform for Shaping the Future of Consumption aims to advance responsible models of consumption that are equitable, promote societal well-being and protect the planet. The Platform’s Consumers Beyond Disposability initiative brings together leading private- and public-sector actors committed to offering consumers sustainable and affordable alternatives to single-use products. The initiative focuses its efforts specifically on innovative reuse and durability-based solutions, and has been working to test and enhance the viability of those solutions. This Future of Reusable Consumption Models report, produced in collaboration with Kearney, is a vital deliverable of the overall initiative.

The report builds on proprietary research to create a framework for the viability of reuse systems and serve as a guide for the scaling of reuse. It discusses the three primary actors of systems change required, which will dictate the pace and trajectory of the shift towards reuse: consumers; business; the public sector. The report presents the Reuse Viability Framework, a proprietary ground-breaking tool created by the initiative, to establish the viability of reuse-centred production and consumption cycles and demonstrate the potential for superior economic, environmental and social impact relative to single-use alternatives. The report also highlights three potential scenarios for the development of a reuse economy by 2030 including one where that the equivalent of half of annual plastic ocean waste can be prevented by reusing just 10-20% of plastic packaging.

In the end, the Future of Reusable Consumption Models insight report is a statement of aspiration and hope – but one that is rooted in rigorous, market-informed methodologies. The need for a more reuse-centred economic model is urgent and grows more so with each passing year. It is up to all stakeholders – both public and private – to answer the call.