Dr. Annabelle Boulay, Dr. Alan Metcalfe, Dr. Stewart Barr and Professor Gareth Shaw

Unpacking the Household:Exploring the dynamics of household recycling

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“Recycling is something in which we all have a role to play. As consumers, it’s arguably one of the easier ways we can contribute to protecting our environment. Yet, there seems tobe a mismatch between our good intentions andour actions.

Three-quarters of people in GB and France say they always recycle our plastic bottles at home, yet recycling rates don’t reflect this. Where’s this disconnect?

As a consumer, I try to do my best to recycle at home (and to encourage my family to do the same!), but as Director for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), my obligations extend far beyond this. Almost half of CCE’s carbon footprint comes from our packaging. So, we need to use our experience and expertise to educate and inspire consumers to recycle more often.

But first we needed to understand the barriers to at-home recycling. We wanted to move beyond asking people about their behaviour and actually see what they do in real life. So, last year, we partnered with the University of Exeter to run a six-month study to observe ‘Green Casuals’ in their home environment to learn where we could help make a difference. We know we have an important role to play in developing solutions to help raise recycling rates.

As you’ll see as you read on, the answer was clear. Recycling is not a conscious decision. People go about their daily lives and if the stars align and they can recycle, they will. But if it isn’t made easy for them, all of their other priorities such as cooking, cleaning and making sure the kids are in the right place at the right time, and with the right equipment, take precedence. The issue is that recycling habits have already been formed – and it’s not always the best recycling behaviour. We all know that it’s hard to break a habit, but that’s where we – the industry, NGOs and recycling organisations - can and should intervene. We need to work together to help people break old habits and form new ones. The report that follows lays out a number of recommendations about the ways we could do this from

Joe Franses, Director, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability

Coca-Cola Enterprises

Foreword

education campaigns and digital communication to building ‘recycling communities’, through to intervening at the moments when habits are formed.

Knowing we don’t have all the answers ourselves, we have pulled together other thought leaders and the best creative minds to help us come up with solutions. In 2014, we will work with open innovation platform, OpenIDEO.com, to challenge people to design solutions that will help to increase at-home recycling rates. The ideas generated will be judged by an expert panel of our peers, recycling organisations, NGOs and academics.

We hope you will follow – and even take part in – the challenge, which runs from 31 March 2014 for 11 weeks. Please log onto to www.openideo.com to learn more.

1 - People who tend to recycle and are concerned about climate change and the environment, but won’t go out of their way to protect the environment or pay

more for eco-friendly products.

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Executive Summary

Household habits have a significant influence on recycling levels

The study revealed that active decision-making plays only a small part in the recycling activity carried out within the household. People do not always make conscious decisions about recycling – the way in which people behave is essentially an instinctive process built into their daily lives. Being pressed for time was a typical response to the question of why some recyclable waste ends up with general waste rather than in the recycling bin. Put simply, people just ‘do what they do’ unconsciously and often out of habit. As a result, work to change behaviour on recycling should focus on the formation of habits and everyday routines that are innately linked with different household spaces (eg the kitchen or bathroom).

The research shows that household dynamics, roles and relationships play a critically important role in influencing and shaping behaviour on recycling. For example, in one household, one partner was more concerned about environmental issues while the other wanted to ‘get things done’ in the house. As such, the latter would buy pre-packed products because it was simpler and more efficient. These different practices created tensions in the household as he insisted on more environmentally-friendly practices while she resisted.

Key Findings

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Recycle for the Future: Investigating the gap between intentions and reality

Three-quarters of British and French consumers (76% and 75%, respectively) claim to always recycle plastic bottles at home. However, recycling rates in both Great Britain and France remain below the European average of 61% meaning nearly half of all plastic bottles are not recycled. If actual at-home recycling rates do not reflect good intentions, what are the opportunities to change this?

As pressure on our natural resources continues to intensify,at-home recycling has become an important issue in recent years, particularly as it is one of the more visible examples of consumer action on environmental issues.

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) commissioned a pioneering study with the University of Exeter to look into the ‘black box’ of household recycling to understand the drivers that determine recycling habits and behaviours, and investigate the gap between good intentions and reality.

The study looks directly inside British and French homes to understand why recycling rates remain low, despite people expressing strong environmental intentions.

1 - YouGov, February 20132 - CCE total of 61% refers to PET bottles recycled in CCE territories, as calculated by CCE.

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Gary: That’s just got ordinary, nastystuff in there as well [bathroom bin],so that just gets emptied intothe general.

3The journey of waste through the home plays a key role and aesthetics are king

The study shows that the space, systems and technologies that surround householders determine how they manage their waste. This can present both barriers and opportunities for ef-fective recycling. Participants argued that more physical space is often needed to make recycling a more viable activity, and they aren’t prepared to compromise the aesthetics of their home to make room for a recycling bin. This can often create household tension in communal living areas, including kitchens, bathrooms and outside space.

A further challenge is the fact that recyclable items must often first travel through ‘spaces of discard’ – i.e. rooms where thereis only one bin available for all waste disposal (such as thebathroom). If recyclable waste is discarded in these locations, people often view this waste as ‘dirty’ and are far less likely to retrieve it later for recycling.

2Relying on behaviour change is only part of the solution

Action to encourage behaviour change to alter household recycling habits will help to improve recycling rates. However, the recycling infrastructures that surround household practises must also be considered and adjusted. This will in turn encourage positive, learned practices to develop and help new habits become embedded into daily life.

For example, many households have an intermediate recycling point in their home, but the contents need to be transferred to the main recycling bin for collection if the system is to work.

Christina: I tend to have a bag inthe kitchen and when I’m cookingand things like that, I rinse and putall the packaging that I’m using inthat bag. When it’s full I take it out tothe recycling box. It just saves mehaving to go back and forth all thetime which is a bit annoying, especiallywhen it is cold.

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Misunderstanding of what happens to waste often creates scepticism and limits appreciation of the true valueof recycling

The majority of households do not have an accurate understanding of what happens to waste once it has been collected for recycling. Householders view recycling as a ‘linear’, rather than a ‘circular’ process. They often assume the recycling process ends when they discard an item.

For those who do think about their recyclables after they leave the home, there can be a degree of scepticism, with some householders questioning existing collection systems and referencing materials being ‘sent to landfill’ or ‘exported abroad’ for sorting or re-processing. This view is often compounded by negative media stories, with many participants recalling high-profile reports and documentaries around negative recycling processes.

This misconception and scepticism prevents people from understanding the true value of recycling, often leading to apathy, which represents a major threat to the overall success of the collection and recycling process.

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5The recyclability of materials is perceived to be a complex issueand creates confusion

Participants in the study indicated confusion about the recyclability of different materials with some checking their

neighbours’ bins to see what they can recycle.

This is perceived to be a complex issue and one which has a negative effect on recycling behaviour, particularly for those who already have a lower level of environmental concern. The study revealed confusion about both the recyclability of materials and what could be collected for recycling. If in doubt, participants often discard rather than recycle waste. Participants requested additional information about local recycling systems, as well as clear and easy-to-understand on-pack information about packaging recyclability.

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Children can be ‘agents of change’in establishing or improving household recycling, unlike teenagers who disengage

Recycling attitudes and behaviours also differ by age and between different generations, which has an impact on overall at-home recycling rates.

Children can make an important contribution and act as catalysts to promote recycling within their households. While they tend to reflect their parents’ approach and interest, they can also identify opportunities to break habits and motivate adults to change their own behaviour at home. In the study, children frequently recalled recycling information that they had learnt and practised at school, which was often relayed back to their parents. Some shared recycling worksheets with their

parents, and one even recited a recycling song to remind her what can and can’t be recycled. Teenagers, by contrast, either forget this information or lose interest over time, with none of those participating in the research expressing an interest in recycling.

Among adults, the differences are less marked. While in most households, there’s one ‘recycling champion’, more often than not their partner is less interested and therefore takes less action to recycle and there are no clear trends in whether that ‘recycling champion’ is male or female.

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The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry has an important role to play in developing new thinking and new solutions to help change habits and shape new habits within the household and to improve recycling rates at home. This must go beyond the existing focus on packaging simplification, minimisation and ensuring packaging recyclability.

There are a number of opportunities which the FMCG industry should actively consider:

Recommendation: Break a habit to make a habit

There are certain times (e.g. moving house, new kitchen) when householders are far more likely to change their recycling habits and behaviours. These ‘moments’ present an important opportunity to encourage householders to break a habit or make a new one. Additional research could be undertaken into how habit formation is associated with major life changes and how, under certain circumstances, householders can become more amenable to developing new recycling habits. ‘Moments of intervention’ can be identified where recycling behaviours could be improved.

This presents an opportunity for collaboration and partnership between householders, brand owners, manufacturers and designers, with a focus on positively influencing recycling behaviour and co-designing living space. Recycling could be re-branded as a household norm; one that is incorporated in the same way as other adopted household activities.

1Intervene at moments when householders are most open to change

Digital communication and social media have proved to be powerful tools in encouraging people to form new recycling habits – particularly if their actions are perceived to have a positive ‘community’ impact.

Mechanics such as online pledging, shared recycling targets and gamification strategies are shown to promote behaviour change when it comes to recycling and should be investigated further by industry. These methods can be particularly effective amongst groups who are already engaged or enthusiastic about particular issues. ‘Green Casuals’ of all age groups, such as those used in the research, would provide an ideal focal point for such initiatives.

2Harness the power of ‘community’via digital communication

1 - In summary, a ‘Green Casual’ is a person who tends to recycle and is concerned about climate change and the environment, but won’t go out of their way to protect the environment or pay more for eco-friendly products (see Harris Research, 2011).

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Educate on ‘what things become’ to demystify and demonstrate the valueof recycling

There is an important opportunity for manufacturers, businesses and local authorities to do more to educate people about what happens to materials once they have been collected for recycling. This can play a key role in helping people to understand the recycling process and in turn encourages confidence in local collection systems and gives people a better connection to the materials they consume and then discard, incentivising them to recycle more.

While environmental considerations remain important, the emphasis of education programmes of this kind should be placed on the benefits and pragmatic outcomes of recycling.

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Tapping into consumer insight and working together to co-create positive consumer messaging on recycling would provide a fully transparent view on what happens during the recycling process, how the process works and what items are produced at the end. And images and other visual learning techniques can play a powerful role in aiding recall and motivating people around recycling practices, and should be considered as integral to any education initiative.

Finally, educating parents and children should be a central focus of programmes of this kind, as both groups play an important role in encouraging and motivating change in other householders.

4Research how to encourage teenagers to re-engage in recycling

While younger children appear far more engaged in recycling, teenagers demonstrate an extremely low level of engagement. This indicates that they ‘throw off’ good habits learned andpracticed at school.

As a potentially important influencer within the household, a bet-ter understanding of teenagers’ motivations and how to engage them to adopt better recycling habits may present a valuable opportunity to improve at-home recycling rates.

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5Design at-home solutions that integrate into household spaces and turn recycling into an everyday action

To improve existing recycling habits (and develop new habits where necessary) the current structures that influence household recycling practices must be tackled. The roles of aesthetics and space are crucial. There is an opportunity for industry to better understand household space so that recycling can be more easily integrated into day-to-day life.

This could include initiatives to change the location or design of domestic bins or to introduce intermediate staging posts for recycling materials inside (or outside) the home. Additional research could be undertaken to further identify what happens to waste in different parts of the home or to explore new design solutions to improve household recycling.

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Conclusion

The study identified that day-to-day household habits have a significant influence on recycling rates. Decisions about recycling are not always taken consciously and are often seen to be an instinctive part of everyday life. In addition, household negotiations, tensions and a general misunderstanding about recycling can have a major bearing on the quantity and quality of materials discarded.

Businesses across the FMCG industry, recycling organisations and NGOs need to work together to find new solutions to increase recycling rates. Key to this will be collaborating to unearth examples of best practice from around the world and from different industries and geographies. This isn’t a simple conundrum to crack, but by working together, organisations can help households to form new recycling habits and change behaviours.

The study, undertaken in 2013, observed ten British and ten French ‘Green Casual’ households over a six-month period to explore the dynamics that drive household waste and recycling behaviour in the home. Households were chosen to cover a broad range of demographic life stages - including single occupants, young couples, retired couples and families with children of differing ages.

The qualitative study explored key areas, including waste & recycling practices, local recycling infrastructure, packaging information and methods of food preparation at home. The study was among the first of its kind, using an ethnographic approach and combining a number of data collection techniques over a sustained period of time to gather

continuous insight. By observing real people over a sustained period of time, the study was able to record the everyday challenges and barriers to at-home recycling.A series of four in-depth themed interviews with participants were conducted throughout the duration of the study, examining behaviour around waste & recycling; shopping & grocery storage; food preparation; and eating habits. In addition, each household was encouraged to keep records of their recycling activity through diaries, inventories and photographs. By observing such a diverse sample of people in this way, the research team was able to gain a rich understanding of the recycling behaviour, habits and motivations of each group.

Methodology:Unpacking the ‘black box’ of household recycling

© University of Exeter (2013)

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) has commissioned and funded this study, but the views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect CCE’s policy or opinions.