Accelerating the shift towards a global circular economy for the benefit of people and planet.
For decades the world has continued to consume materials at an unsustainable pace. Global material use has now surpassed 100 billion tonnes annually, underscoring the accelerating pressure on natural systems.
The linear economy still follows a take–make–waste model. This approach depletes natural resources, drives rising pollution levels, and entrenches “built-to-break” business practices—leaving consumers to pay the price for products with ever-shorter lifespans.
The global economy today is only 6.9% circular, yet the opportunity remains immense: circular innovation still represents a multi-trillion dollar economic opportunity for businesses ready to rethink how products are designed, used, and recovered.
Bold action is urgently needed—and Consumers International is leading the way. We work with forward thinking industry leaders, governments, and civil society to advance circularity solutions that protect consumers, strengthen resilience, and ensure a healthy planet for future generations.
We are working to explore and demonstrate how Digital Product Passports (DPPs) can accelerate more sustainable consumption. The EU’s latest Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) confirms that DPPs are becoming a core mechanism for improving product transparency, traceability, and circularity across global value chains.
DPPs are emerging as a powerful enabler of behaviour change, supporting the shift toward a circular economy by giving consumers and supply chain actors access to verified product information.
Our work in this area includes:
Plastic pollution remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time, harming human health, wildlife, oceans, and global food systems. Without decisive action, more than 1.3 billion tonnes of plastic pollution could accumulate on land and in water bodies by 2040, underscoring the cost of delay and the scale of change needed.
Nearly 200 countries are working toward a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution. While progress has been complex, nations remain committed to "staying at the table" to reach an agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.
Consumers International is contributing consumer insights to support this process. Drawing on perspectives from our 200+ Member organisations, we bring everyday experiences into the conversation, supporting policies that are practical, inclusive and effective. As proposed solutions will involve changes in how products are used and managed, active involvement of consumer groups can play an important role in enabling successful, lasting outcomes. for building understanding, trust, and public support.
Our work brings together global advocacy and evidence-based insights to accelerate change.
For World Consumer Rights Day 2021, we mobilised our worldwide network of consumer organisations, alongside international organisations, business, and government in a global campaign to tackle plastic pollution. More than 70 organisations took action - from policy advocacy to consumer education - reaching over 31 million people globally. At the heart of this effort was the introduction of the 7Rs framework (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair, Replace, Rethink, Refuse), alongside a series of global dialogues with leading voices including Ocean Conservancy, Greenpeace, The Body Shop, and SYSTEMIQ.
Alongside convening action, we generate research that highlights the real-world challenges consumers face with packaging. Our Can I recycle this? (2020) report revealed that only 19% of plastic packaging labels globally provide clear, reliable information, leaving consumers confused and limiting effective recycling. Building on this, The Consumer Lens on Packaging (2021), developed with nine Members, showed that even when consumers want to act sustainably, inconsistent labelling and systems make it difficult to recycle products in practice.
CAG (India) are critical partners within our Plastics Treaty delegation, providing technical expertise and coordinating our interventions.
IDEC (Brazil) led a "Stop the Plastic Tsunami" campaign to curb plastic production and consumption, coming together with a range of organisations to build support for policy reform.
CERC (India) are expert advisors to the Indian Ministry of Environment on issues of circularity, such as waste management and plastic pollution.
Danish Consumer Council runs the THINK Chemicals initiative. The initiative tests and reports on products to help consumers avoid unwanted chemicals, especially those often found in plastic products.
Most of us know that plastic pollution is everywhere. It's one of the most pressing sustainability challenges facing people and planet. But how many of us know that it's in the food we eat and the air we breathe? That plastic might not be as safe as we think? That alternatives are out there? In this blog, our Sustainable Consumption Specialist talks through three major misconceptions holding us back from the fight against plastic pollution.
COP16 will be held in Colombia on 21 October - 1 November 2024.
At the Conference, governments will be tasked with reviewing the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
To connect with Consumers International at this important moment for biodiversity, contact impact@consint.org.
In the coming months, ahead of critical intersessional work prior to the 5th round of negotiations, we will engage with key stakeholders, partners and state delegations to advocate for essential policy and market shifts to reduce plastic pollution by 80% - all while supporting consumers and businesses to overcome the challenges related to affordability and accessibility.
To connect with us at INC-5 in Busan, Republic of Korea, contact impact@consint.org.
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