Wroclaw: Transforming a City towards a Circular Economy-Zero Waste Social Marketing Campaign in Poland

Abstract

Quote: … marketing can promote recycling as a consumer behavior, just as effectively as it can promote the consumption of the product that must be recycled. Peattie & Peattie, 2009 Case study problem: How to prepare the city's social campaign? Case study overview: The aim of this chapter is to present the possibility of using the social campaign as a tool supporting the implementation of the zero waste idea in the process of transforming the city into a circular economy (CE). Wrocław, one of the largest cities in Poland, started in April 2019 the implementation of a social campaign called “Wrocław does not waste”. It is an element of the city's gradual transition to a CE. The campaign has a long-term character and focuses on shaping the attitudes and behaviours of the inhabitants in terms of understanding, acceptance and practical implementation of the zero waste idea in everyday life. The objectives of the campaign are (1) change of inhabitants’ behaviour in the field of waste (behavioural goals), (2) increase of inhabitants’ knowledge about the idea of zero waste (cognitive goal) and (3) shaping convictions, opinions and feelings of inhabitants of Wrocław in the area of zero waste (goal connected with attitudes). Target groups covered by the activities are children and youth, adult residents, and officials working in city offices. This chapter will allow readers to understand the role of the social campaign in the implementation of the idea of zero waste as part of the city's transition to a CE and to understand how the implementation of the behavioural, knowledge and belief objectives is to relate to the key elements of the 5R model of the zero waste concept in this type of campaign. The study describes and analyzes the various communication channels and tools used in the campaign to reach its target markets. It shows that the Internet is an important communication channel for the campaign, but equally important are happenings and special events and other public relations tools.