Circular economy reality check — refillable bottles won’t end our reliance on virgin resources

We extract more than 100 billion tonnes of raw materials from the planet each year, and most of it becomes waste. The circular economy proposes an alternative to the linear take-make-dispose model by emphasizing reuse, repair and recycling. Yet despite growing interest, global use of virgin resources is rising and progress on circularity is stalling. Over the past decade, the circular economy has moved from niche idea to mainstream policy goal, underpinning many net-zero strategies as concern about plastics and carbon emissions grows. However, recent evidence, including the latest Circularity Gap report, shows a decline in the use of secondary materials such as recycled plastics and reclaimed wood. Why is momentum faltering when the concept enjoys broad support? Our recent research suggests the impasse stems from two dominant narratives. One paints a technocratic utopia where innovation eliminates waste while economic growth continues. The other emphasizes barriers — high costs, consumer habits and weak policy — concluding that major change is unrealistic. Caught between optimistic rhetoric and defeatist resignation, people and organisations often fail to take effective action. ...