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Towards a hierarchy of consumption behaviour in the circular economy

Maitre-Ekern, Eléonore and Dalhammar, Carl LU (2019) In Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 26(3). p.394-420
Abstract

In their roles as purchasers, users and dischargers of used products, consumers play an important role in the circular economy. In this article, we put forward a ‘hierarchy of consumption behaviour’ to support European Union policymaking. Among the priorities are avoiding the purchase of single-use and unnecessary products, prolonging the lifetime of products through maintenance and engaging in repair activities. Moreover, the hierarchy intends to privilege sharing and leasing to buying and second-hand products to new ones. Finally, consumption in the circular economy also requires allowing products to re-circulate. Changing consumption patterns is difficult insofar as they are largely determined by the paradigm upon which our economy... (More)

In their roles as purchasers, users and dischargers of used products, consumers play an important role in the circular economy. In this article, we put forward a ‘hierarchy of consumption behaviour’ to support European Union policymaking. Among the priorities are avoiding the purchase of single-use and unnecessary products, prolonging the lifetime of products through maintenance and engaging in repair activities. Moreover, the hierarchy intends to privilege sharing and leasing to buying and second-hand products to new ones. Finally, consumption in the circular economy also requires allowing products to re-circulate. Changing consumption patterns is difficult insofar as they are largely determined by the paradigm upon which our economy is built and are enabled by the existing legal framework, most notably European Union consumer law. The article contains concrete recommendations to develop European Union law and promote the proposed hierarchy.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Circular economy, consumer law, EU law, hierarchy of consumption behaviour, policy mix, sustainable consumption
in
Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law
volume
26
issue
3
pages
394 - 420
publisher
Intersentia
external identifiers
  • scopus:85069036565
ISSN
1023-263X
DOI
10.1177/1023263X19840943
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7e7d9923-c178-4936-8b1b-7b3224db1d4b
date added to LUP
2019-07-26 15:47:59
date last changed
2022-04-26 03:20:52
@article{7e7d9923-c178-4936-8b1b-7b3224db1d4b,
  abstract     = {{<p>In their roles as purchasers, users and dischargers of used products, consumers play an important role in the circular economy. In this article, we put forward a ‘hierarchy of consumption behaviour’ to support European Union policymaking. Among the priorities are avoiding the purchase of single-use and unnecessary products, prolonging the lifetime of products through maintenance and engaging in repair activities. Moreover, the hierarchy intends to privilege sharing and leasing to buying and second-hand products to new ones. Finally, consumption in the circular economy also requires allowing products to re-circulate. Changing consumption patterns is difficult insofar as they are largely determined by the paradigm upon which our economy is built and are enabled by the existing legal framework, most notably European Union consumer law. The article contains concrete recommendations to develop European Union law and promote the proposed hierarchy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Maitre-Ekern, Eléonore and Dalhammar, Carl}},
  issn         = {{1023-263X}},
  keywords     = {{Circular economy; consumer law; EU law; hierarchy of consumption behaviour; policy mix; sustainable consumption}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{394--420}},
  publisher    = {{Intersentia}},
  series       = {{Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law}},
  title        = {{Towards a hierarchy of consumption behaviour in the circular economy}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1023263X19840943}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1023263X19840943}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}