Circular economy

Nachhaltigkeitab 9 J.

Instead of “produce, use, throw away” (linear): repair, reuse, recycle products. Saves resources, reduces waste and creates new business models.

The circular economy (Kreislaufwirtschaft) replaces the linear model (take, make, throw away) with a closed loop.

The 5 R strategies:

• Reduce: consume less (conscious consumption)
• Reuse: use again (second-hand, sharing)
• Repair: repair instead of throwing away (repair cafés)
• Refurbish: recondition (refurbished smartphones)
• Recycle: recover raw materials (deposit system, scrap metal)

Financial perspective:

• Second-hand market in Germany: over €10 billion/year
• The repair sector is growing by 15% a year
• EU "right to repair" (from 2025): manufacturers must provide spare parts
• For consumers: used products are 40–70% cheaper than new ones

Did you know? The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates the circular economy could create $4.5 trillion in global value by 2030 – through new business models, resource savings and innovation.

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