July 15, 2025: Fears about the hygiene and quality of reused or repaired products are holding back global efforts to move to a circular economy and minimize the impacts of consumption on the planet, a new study from BSI has identified. The research also pinpoints consumer concern about safety and reliability as critical barriers to the adoption of circular practices amongst consumers, despite widespread awareness of the environmental benefits of keeping rather than discarding products after use.
Despite 88% of people in India recognizing that their behaviours and purchasing decisions contribute to circularity, the share of re-used materials entering the globally economy has fallen from 7.2% to 6.9% in recent years[1]. BSI’s 2025 Global Circularity study, The Tipping Point: Building Trust in the Circularity Economy, developed in partnership with experts from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), identifies how building trust in quality and reliability can drive consumer uptake of circular behaviours.
Perception vs. Reality: The trust gap in circularity
The research asked people to rate themselves along a scale of adoption for ten circular behaviours, including recycling, reusing packaging or purchasing second hand goods. India, alongside China, was significantly more likely to have adopted all ten behaviours, with more than a third (37%) of Indians describing themselves as ‘early adopters’ of recycling. India was also the top country for the sharing economy – 33% claim to be using sharing platforms to help minimize waste and extend product lifecycles. Yet the data indicates a gap between perception in reality; less than a third of Indians say they would consider buying second hand technology (32%) or opting for food produce in recycled packaging over food in regular packaging (29%).
Three critical concerns are fuelling this gulf between perception and reality for people in India: an absence of trust in quality (56%), safety (53%), and reliability (47%). Overcoming these trust barriers is essential to disrupting the ingrained inertia of linear consumption – buy new, use briefly, discard easily.
While 71% of people in India cite environmental benefits as a top three driver for adopting circular behaviours, this does not always translate into action. Indian consumers remain cautious, with only a quarter (25%) saying they would purchase second-hand or refurbished furniture. Just 13% are willing to buy wonky food produce. Almost half (47%) are comfortable purchasing clothing made from recycled materials, but only 16% would buy a second-hand bike or scooter.
A lack of trust in environmental claims is a barrier to purchasing circular products for 47% of people in India. However, three-quarters (74%) said that a recognized label supporting such claims would help build trust.
The transition to a mainstream circular economy hinges on trust and credibility. Three-quarters of people in India agree that we need circular products and services with quality, safety, and reliability fully embedded. Organizations that act decisively to introduce these solutions will not only facilitate economic transformation but also unlock a wealth of opportunities.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI said: “The circular economy presents an immense opportunity for both people and the planet, enabling us to protect natural resources and reap economic benefits. Yet trust remains a crucial barrier to adoption. While consumers routinely weigh price and quality in their purchasing decisions, reused, repaired or recycled goods introduce new questions around quality, safety, and reliability. For circularity to thrive, businesses must move beyond sustainability messaging and bolster it by demonstrating genuine value, durability, and trustworthiness – convincing consumers that circular options are as reliable as traditional products.”
Theuns Kotze, Managing Director, BSI India, said: “It’s encouraging to see India leading the way with circular behaviours, and there is clearly a strong ambition to take meaningful action for the environment. Upcoming sustainability initiatives—such as the soon-to-be-launched circular economy policy and the ‘One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution’ campaign—are likely to further raise awareness and accelerate the adoption of circular practices.”