Part 1Intro Part 2Climate Change Part 3Food Part 4Recycling Part 5Clothing Part 6Plastic Part 7Act

Circular Living Segmentation

Giving you the power to change behaviours

Part One: Introduction

How we behave in relation to the ‘things’ we buy, use, and dispose of – whether food, packaging, or clothing– has a significant environmental impact, both on CO2e emissions and beyond.

In 2021, WRAP began a programme of work which involved undertaking a large-scale insights project to further develop our understanding of human behaviour and create a new segmentation of citizens, bringing food, clothing, and waste together alongside wider environmental concern for the first time.

6244 UK adults were surveyed about their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours related to consumption. Arising from this work, eight segments were uncovered, each comprising of between 10-15% of the population.

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* Each of the eight segments represent between 10-15% of the UK population. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

Segment 1: Get the why, not always the how. Think Green and big consumer

Segment 2: Give the planet a chance. Green and acting on it.

Segment 3: Pressured providers. Under pressure greens.

Segment 4: The strong, silent type. Actions not words, quietly green.

Segment 5: Local, not global. Concerned about litter and fly tipping.

Segment 6: Why should I care? Disengaged or indifferent.

Segment 7: Green for the ‘gram. Big consumers; words, not actions.

Segment 8: Got the actions, different motive. Climate rejectors but acting sustainably.

How does it work?

Unlike other models, the Circular Living Segmentation Model offers actionable insights and identifies barriers to behaviour change that may impede positive, sustained changes. The tool has numerous use cases and can be employed by governments, local authorities, businesses, and NGOs in designing products, policies, interventions, or campaigns. The model shows how people think and behaviour across the topics of Climate Change, Recycling, Plastics, Food Waste, Clothing & Consumption and many more.

As well as providing insights on each segments attitudes beliefs and behaviours towards key environmental actions, the research also increases our understanding of the segments demographic profiles, the media they consume, VARK learning styles and injunctive norms. The tool helps increase our understanding of basic human traits such as conformity, tradition, security, power, achievement, hedonism, stimulation, self-direction, universalism, and benevolence

How can your organisation benefit from using the Circular Living Segmentation Model?

Using the Circular Living Segmentation Model, your organisation can use these profiles to understand your audience and develop: • campaigns that speak to individuals' attitudes and beliefs; • behaviour change interventions that work with, not against, individuals existing beliefs and home life; • and activities where it will have greatest impact in supporting citizens to achieve more sustainable lifestyles.

If you would like to speak with WRAP about how you can use these to profile your own audiences, should that be at a population level, or your own customer base, then please contact us.

This data story explores the attitudes and behaviours of the segment for five main categories

• Climate Change & Environment
• Food Waste, Diets and Dietary Changes
• Recycling
• Clothes & Consumption
• Plastic Waste

Part Two: Climate Change & Environment

Attitudes towards Climate Change

The way we use and make our products is a great contributor to climate change, and there is an urgent need now for concerted action across nations, businesses, and homes.

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72%of UK citizens agree that the world is facing a climate emergency

Among the segments identified in this research, this belief is concentrated in Segments 1- 4, whereby agreement ranges between 88-94%.

Green and Big Consumer"It’s overwhelming [Climate Change]. It’s such a big problem that we’re facing, and I don’t think that the right people are doing the right things about it"

Responsibility to the environment

WRAP's Circular Living Segmentation research revealed that 16% of people agree that the "so-called 'environmental crisis' facing humanity has been greatly exaggerated" and that 1 in 3 people are unsure how they feel about climate change.

However, there is a high level of agreement among most of the segments that everyone has a responsibility to help towards cleaning up the environment (a UK average of 89%). This demonstrates that although some people believe the environmental crisis has been exaggerated, most have personal agency over cleaning up the environment.

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Lifestyle Changes

Participants were presented with the following statement; ‘I am prepared to make lifestyle compromises to benefit the environment’. Levels of agreement drop for this statement, indicating that although people believe that cleaning up the environment falls on everyone’s shoulders, they are less willing to make sacrifices in their own lives.

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Pressured Providers"I feel worried, frustrated, and angry. Worried for what sort of world my kids are going to grow up in. Frustrated as an individual that there is very little impact that me, by myself, can make. And angry that it’s been allowed to get to this point, despite all the warnings."

Part Three: Food Waste, Diets and Dietary Changes

Attitudes towards food and cooking

WRAP research found that people in the UK spend an average of five hours a week preparing and cooking food, with 59% of people agreeing that they enjoy cooking and preparing food.

52% of the UK say that price is their 'main consideration' when food shopping

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Different Segments, Different Priorities

9% of Segment 2 have price as their main consideration when food shopping, whereas 43% agree that the price doesn't matter as long as the food is of good quality.

Give the planet a chance"We go for quality ahead of price every time. For example, we buy organic carrots rather than standard carrots. We enjoy paying the extra premium for quality. We do not like food wastage of any kind whatsoever."

Comparatively, Segment 6 has higher levels of food waste at 30.2%, compared to the UK average of 20.5%, and 50% agree that the price of food is their main consideration when shopping.

Why should I care? "Price is definitely the main thing for me, I’m always buying the cheapest brands. I’ve always been like that, it’s just something I’ve always done. And I think they’re just as good and often the same product you’d buy branded. I do tend to use up most food, there’s some fruit and vegetables that always goes off, but that’s it"

Food Waste

The Segments were asked to what extent they had been making more of an effort lately to reduce their food waste.

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Household Food Waste

In the UK, WRAP estimates total food waste in 2021 at 10.7 million tonnes, with 6.4 million tonnes coming from households. To find out more, please visit our "Household Food Waste Data Story".

Part Four: Recycling

Recycling Attitudes

Previous WRAP research, found in The Recycling Tracker 2024, indicates that recycling in an ‘established and normalised behaviour in the UK’, with 9 out of 10 UK citizens reporting that they regularly recycle.

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Got the actions, different motive"I do recycle, it's just one of those things we've done for many years now. I do put most things in the recycling, but not everything"

Missed Capture

However, there is high rates of missed capture with 79% of UK citizens reporting disposing of recyclable materials in general rubbish. Contamination remains a persistent issue, especially for items like drinking glasses, Pyrex, and toothpaste tubes, with contamination rates up 6 percentage points since 2017.

Worthwhileness, Recycling and Circular Living

Participants were asked to what extent they agreed with the following statements:

"I feel my recycling efforts are worthwhile"
"Recycling is too much of a hassle to bother with"

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Dry Recycling

Dry recycling is when you recycle things like paper, plastic, and glass that aren’t dirty with food or liquids. The most frequently selected barrier for 'Dry Recycling' across all eight Segments is ‘I’m not sure if some items can be recycled or not’.

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Barriers by Segment

Low confidence in whether items are recycled is a significant barrier to recycling. Statements relating to effort, time and reward and punishments are significantly more likely to be chosen by those in Segments 6 and 7.

Food Waste Recycling

Participants were also asked about the barriers they face, regarding food waste recycling. Barriers relating to pests received the highest scores across all Segments, followed by leaks and spills. As with dry recycling, those in Segments 6 and 7 are more likely to select barriers relating to time and effort.

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Part Five: Clothing and Consumption

WRAP’s Textiles Market Situation Report reveals that textile consumption figures are back to near pre-covid levels, with the UK consuming 1,420 kilotonnes of virgin products in 2022.

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Green for the 'Gram"I purchase clothing every month or few months. I buy from a range of brands and retailers. I think it’s very important to have something new when you go out, because I like to stand out and having something fresh to wear."

Different attitudes

98% of Segment 2 agreed that they buy product designed to last, whereas only 50% of Segment 6 buy clothes designed to last. 85% of Segment 3 (Pressured Providers) agree that finding the cheapest price is more important than buying top brands. However, only 35% of Segment 2 (Green and acting on it) prioritise cheaper price over top brands.

58% of UK consumers indicated that securing the lowest price takes precedence over purchasing premium brands.

Longevity and Repair

Repairing clothing extends its lifespan, reducing the need for new production and minimising waste. A UK average of 57% people agree that they always look for a way to repair clothes that get damaged.

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Part Six: Plastic Waste

Attitudes to Plastic Waste and Personal Agency

A 2019 WRAP report suggests that overall UK plastics arisings were estimated to be around 3.7 million tonnes, with packaging being the main source. Plastic packaging waste accounted for approximately 2.2 million tonnes (59%) with non-packaging plastic estimated to be 1.5 million tonnes.

According to the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD), around 891,000 tonnes of plastic packaging was recycled in 2015, an increase of more than 50% since the previous Plastics Market Situation Report reported on data in 2009.

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Local, not global"I think it’s [plastic waste] a big problem. What you see all over the streets, the packaging from a fast food restaurant or wherever, it should just be banned, full stop. Any single use plastics, the company making it should be fined heavily or taxed heavily.

Plastic packaging and refill behaviours

Participants were asked to what extent they could see themselves doing the following behaviours five years from now:

Taking their own container to a shop and using a refill station for food products
Buying fruit and vegetables without plastic packaging.

In the last three months*, 17% of UK Citizens have ordered an online product to refill at home.

*surveyed in 2021

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Buying Loose

Most people were open to buying their fruit and vegetables loose, with an average of 70% across all segments. WRAP's research estimates that if all apples, bananas and potatoes were sold loose that plastic packaging in the UK would be reduced by 8,800 tonnes!

The Strong, Silent Type"So much of it is just so unnecessary. I try to minimise the amount of plastic bottles and packaging. I buy refill pouches for things like shower gel, I wish they'd do the same for cleaning products. It breaks my heart to visit the beach and see all the rubbish washing up"

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