Going Around in Circles: Recycling and Circularity

A confusing landscape of language, labelling, and initiatives

On-demand webinar

Recycling, reusing, and repurposing have become integral parts of our daily lives. So much so, that it’s hard to imagine a time before we were concerned about our impact on the environment. We sort trash into bins, carry reusable bags into the grocery store, and look for the recycling symbol on plastic containers. But the more we recognize waste, packaging, and plastics as a problem, the less we seem to understand the solution.

New research from Ipsos and Ipsos Synthesio shows consumers are increasingly confused by the nuances between “recyclable” and “circular” – and labels like single-use, recycled, biodegradable, and compostable. This confusion leads to inaction, mistrust, and even a lack of confidence in brands making sustainability claims.

Watch our webinar on-demand to hear Ipsos experts Dr. Pippa Bailey and Lena Gilchrist share the latest learnings from global research studies and social data. We've discussed:

• Findings from Ipsos’ global Earth Day survey, including a narrowing ‘believe-true’ gap between consumers’ perception and reality
• Consumers’ beliefs and misconceptions about recycling and circularity
• Decoding the dictionary of sustainability labels: what they really mean versus what consumers think they mean
• Social media conversations related to #recycling and #circulareconomy
• How brands can leverage social and survey data to better understand consumer beliefs and barriers

Dr. Pippa Bailey Head of Climate Change & Sustainability Practice	Lena Gilchrist Global Head of syndicated solutions