Re-Commerce to Ensure Circular Economy from Consumer Perspective

Abstract

Responsible consumption practice is crucial to minimizing waste as part of sustainable development (SDG 12). This can be achieved by extending product life in a cradle-to-cradle system as part of a circular economy. However, are consumers willing to extend product life by reusing materials? The phenomenon of re-commerce, where consumers sell products to each other (C2C), takes place in physical as well as web-based markets. This project focuses on enabling factors for re-commerce practices on Facebook among consumers in Bangladesh. A review of existing literature provided grounds for an empirical focus group study of Bangladeshi consumers. Using a social practice theory perspective in a thematic analysis shows that enabling factors in terms of technical competence, context-bound conditions influencing meanings such as socially accepted procedures, and practical practices relating to materials such as payment forms and logistics support, all serve as enabling or hindering factors. The study contributes to the understanding of conditions for re-commerce practices as part of a circular economy system where consumers are encouraged to engage in responsible consumption by extending product life cycles.