Shifting towards a circular economy could bring many benefits for growth, employment, resource dependency, health and the environment. In the European Union, this restorative and regenerative model has received support from policymakers, who have committed to implementing a long-term strategy. For investors and companies alike, the move towards more circular practices gains greater traction as the associated business opportunities become increasingly tangible.
In an era of sluggish post-crisis recovery and stagnating industrial investment, the transition to a circular economy is a source of innovation and industrial renewal for Europe. The time is right and the EU – with its scale, integrated markets and strong institutions – is uniquely positioned to exploit the full benefits of such a transition. Yet, while pockets of the economy show signs of dynamism, levels of investment in circular economy opportunities are still generally too low. The Foundation's previous research Growth Within outlined a long-term circular economy vision for Europe; this new report identifies the most important investment opportunities along with the policy reforms and business actions needed to unlock them. The report, Achieving "Growth Within", focuses on the mobility, food and built environment value chains, which together represent 60% of consumer expenditure and 80% of resource use.