Catalyst Circularity

You might have noticed that the second ad is not by Apple. But it’s just as persuasive - maybe even more so. And that’s exactly the point. The ad is by Back Market - a refurbished tech retailer - and it’s part of their campaign that highlights that refurbished devices can be just as good as new. Back Market’s CMO, Joy Howard, explains that the campaign addresses people’s growing “fatigue with this insistence that they upgrade.” Their tagline, “Downgrade now,” flips the script on tech culture, encouraging us to embrace a more circular lifestyle instead of chasing the latest model. When sustainable choices are marketed with the same brilliance as mainstream products, they can become truly competitive. And that’s how we make sustainability the new normal. #sustainablemarketing #circulareconomy

What do you do with shoes too worn out for donation? Recycling options exist, but they often feel inconvenient – and you are left wondering where those shoes actually end up. 🤔 adidas is helping their customers do the right thing with their Made to be Remade collection, making it simple and hassle-free to dispose of old items responsibly: - Scan the QR code on your shoes. - Post them back for free. - Adidas handles the rest, ensuring the materials are responsibly recirculated. To inspire participation, Adidas launched the collection with a compelling ad that explained the process and its impact (the campaign by We Are Social earned a Silver in The Anthem Awards). This is sustainable marketing done right: - Design for circularity. - Educate and inspire customers. - Make sustainable behaviours easy. #sustainablemarketing #circulareconomy

Is upcycling sexy now? Miu Miu says yes. For sustainable lifestyles to truly thrive, they must inspire desire. And who better to lead the charge than Miu Miu, Prada’s playful sister brand, alongside the effortlessly cool Emma Corrin? Since its debut in 2020, Miu Miu’s upcycled collection has reached its fifth season. The line reimagines materials like upcycled leather and lace, vintage kilts from the ’50s and ’70s, and archival yarns, transforming them into high-fashion pieces. It’s no secret that fashion has a massive oversupply problem - 40% of clothing produced each year remains unsold. Initiatives like upcycling, which extend a product’s lifecycle, represent an important part of the solution. When brands champion circularity, they don’t just boost their image - they redefine what aspirational, responsible consumption can look like. Luxury has always shaped what’s next. Could responsibility be its most iconic trend yet? #sustainablemarketing #sustainablefashion #upcycling

A small ‘yes’ can lead to big change. The first step in changing behaviour is building awareness and encouraging people to consider new choices. WWF’s innovative voting initiative in Japanese grocery stores is a perfect example. Shoppers could show support for sustainability measures simply by placing their baskets in a designated ‘yes’ ✅ or ‘no’ ❌ area. Each time a shopper voted ‘yes’ to actions like removing plastic trays from meat packaging, they not only learned more about the benefits but also made a small, symbolic commitment to sustainability. This approach allowed the supermarket to gauge customer support for sustainability investments. It also helped create a sense of shared responsibility—turning awareness into action. Learn more about this initiative on Trend Watching: https://lnkd.in/e_qbdJX4 #sustainablemarketing

Black Friday is coming up - what will you offer? Ahead of the shopping rush, Netflix is launching a documentary that explores how brands drive overconsumption. It promises to reveal the tactics marketers use to persuade us to buy things we don’t need. Media and marketing hold great power to shape behaviour. Yes, this often fuels consumerism, but it can also be a force for positive change. Netflix’s documentary is a perfect example. While many outlets prepare lists of Black Friday deals for things you may not need, Netflix is sparking a conversation about overconsumption and waste. Brands have a choice: they can use their influence for short-term profit or to promote sustainability and long-term growth. Do you know of any brands that have approached Black Friday with a conscious strategy? #BlackFriday #sustainablemarketing #conciousmarketing #circulareconomy

74% of people were inspired to cut food waste, thanks to the Look-Smell-Taste initiative. 🎉 This campaign tackles the confusion surrounding "Best Before" and "Use By" dates, encouraging consumers to trust their senses before discarding perfectly good food. Launched 5 years ago by Too Good To Go in collaboration with industry giants like Unilever, Nestlé, Danone, Mondelēz International, and Bel, the initiative has united over 500 brands across 14 countries. Today, its message appears on more than 6 billion product packages annually. 🌍 This is a powerful example of how consumer insights and a clear, easy-to-follow message, paired with large-scale industry collaboration, can drive meaningful change. #foodwaste #circulareconomy #sustainablemarketing

- Monsoon Accessorize's ‘Rent Monsoon’ service, developed with MY WARDROBE HQ, introduces a capsule collection of bridal and occasion wear for hire, including bridesmaid dresses. Naomi Robertson, Buying & Merchandise Director, noted this initiative offers customers a cost-effective and sustainable option to access Monsoon’s premium pieces, promoting a more circular fashion economy. - Customers can rent outfits for up to 14 days via the Monsoon website, with delivery and free dry cleaning included. This rental model, which regularly updates with new styles, echoes a broader industry trend towards sustainable fashion, as seen in John Lewis & Partners’s recent expansion of its rental service to include menswear. Read the full article on Green Retail World: https://lnkd.in/egTRfsSd

- The HEINEKEN Company has achieved its first barley harvest via a large-scale regenerative agriculture model in collaboration with Groupe VIVESCIA, a French cooperative. This initiative, involving 200 farmers in France, aims to bolster soil health, biodiversity, and water resources while advancing Heineken's objective of reducing scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030. - According to Hervé Le Faou, Heineken’s Chief Procurement Officer and Sustainability Leader, the programme not only cuts down the company's agricultural carbon footprint—accounting for 21% of its total emissions—but also fortifies its supply chain. The project anticipates expanding to 500 farmers by 2025. Read the full article on Sustainability Beat: https://lnkd.in/eDzNMS6d

- Decathlon has relaunched its 'No Tent Left Behind' initiative to combat tent waste, allowing UK customers to trade in select tent models for a gift card equivalent to the tent’s purchase price. The returned tents will be refurbished and sold via Decathlon's 'Second Life' platform. - Chris Allen, Decathlon UK's Sustainability Leader, highlighted the success of the 2023 campaign, where all returned tents were resold. The scheme is part of Decathlon's broader environmental goals, which include scaling up circular business models and expanding their buy-back scheme to over 100 products by 2026. Read the full article on Edie: https://lnkd.in/eKPAJP_4

- PepsiCo and GreenDot have announced a collaboration to invest in recycling technologies for plastic waste, aiming to incorporate recycled materials into PepsiCo's snack packaging, including new packaging for Sunbites crisps containing 50% recycled plastic film launched in the UK and Ireland in late 2023. - Archana Jagannathan, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo Europe, emphasised the importance of this partnership in achieving a circular economy for packaging, highlighting that advanced and mechanical recycling will play a crucial role in reducing landfill waste and meeting PepsiCo’s goal of eliminating virgin fossil-based plastic in all its crisp and chip bags by 2030. Read the full article on Packaging Insights: https://lnkd.in/emPh8rdV