If the circular economy doesn't improve everyday life, it's not working

I want to take you back to June 2019.

I was in the final month of an 18-year career in local government, working in housing and economic regeneration. I was about to take a leap of faith - leaving the Isle of Wight Council, dusting off a long-neglected Environmental Sciences degree, and joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, where I've spent nearly seven years working on scaling circular economic activity across education, food and fashion.

Before I'd even left my council role, I was invited to the Foundation's annual summit in London. And of course, I went.

It was unlike any local government conference I'd ever attended. Low lighting. Smoke machines. Famous people. Some of the world's biggest brands on stage - Patagonia, IKEA, Philips - all sharing how they were redesigning products and business models for a circular economy.

It was impressive. It was hopeful. It was cool.

But all day, my phone kept buzzing in my pocket.

The messages were from a single mum who had been housed in a local hotel room with her 16-year-old son. All she wanted was a decent place to live and not to have to share a room with her almost-adult child. She was not in a position to care whether Patagonia made jackets from virgin fibres or remade them from old ones. She certainly didn't care that IKEA had embedded circular design principles into its furniture - she didn't have a home to put it in. And I suspect that if I'd suggested she splash out on modular, repairable headphones, she'd have told me exactly where to stick them.

That moment has stayed with me ever since.

The circular economy shouldn't be optional - but it isn't accessible yet

We know that moving to a regenerative, restorative economic model is essential. It shouldn't be optional. But the uncomfortable truth is that the circular economy is not yet an economically viable choice for many people. Most people don't have the time, money or headspace to opt into 'better' products or behaviours. They need the system around them to change.

And this is where local government becomes absolutely central to the circular economy - not as a side actor, but as a system designer.

When local governments take that role seriously, they can't treat the circular economy as a niche environmental agenda, too often stuck in recycling or industrial symbiosis (important as those are). The circular economy is an economic, social and infrastructure agenda - and that places local government right at the heart of it.

What does a circular city or region actually mean?

A circular city or region is one where systems are designed to work together to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature.

All over the world - and here in the UK - we are starting to see this come to life. These models don't just operate within planetary boundaries; they create jobs, grow local economies and begin to restore depleted biodiversity.

But for this to work locally and regionally, local government has to lean into its distinct roles as local leaders and system convenors, asset owners and planners, and service operators and skills builders.

1. Convening systems: making circularity visible and normal

We've seen local governments, city regions and mayors use their leadership power to convene systems effectively.

In 2019, New York City led the #WearNext campaign, encouraging residents, retailers and brands to return unwanted clothing to drop-off points across the city. To make this easy, the city created an interactive map showing more than 1,000 collection locations.

A city-wide communications campaign encouraged people not just to drop off clothes, but to repair, resell or swap them instead of throwing them away. The result? Over 500 additional tonnes of clothing collected compared to the previous year - and many brands have continued to operate take-back schemes.

Closer to home, initiatives like London's annual Circular Economy Week show the power of convening. London comes together to showcase circular products, services and business models. Imagine if this approach was adopted across the UK. A bit of rough maths shows we could see several local authorities each week convening around circular economy activity - building confidence, awareness and momentum that extends far beyond a single event.

Further south, we see more examples of where local authorities are leading the agenda. I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, where the City funds the Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP). This initiative matches businesses with each other's waste materials to keep resources in circulation. Over 400 jobs have been created as a result. By funding and hosting this connective infrastructure, the city enables economic value that wouldn't exist otherwise.

2. Asset owners and planners: reshaping places and markets

Local authorities are also significant asset owners. Through spatial planning and emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategies, they have enormous influence over how land is used - and how nature is restored.

One of my favourite examples comes from Eskilstuna in central Sweden. Ten years ago, the municipality opened ReTuna, the world's first recycling mall. Owned by the local authority and built next to the local tip, it looks more like a Westfield than a charity shop. Everything sold there is recycled, repaired, remade or designed for circularity.

Within three years, ReTuna was generating £1 million in annual turnover and had created 50 local jobs - bringing skills and craftsmanship back into the local economy.

At the same time, resale is having a moment. Platforms like Vinted have reached unicorn status, and in France Vinted is now the largest clothing retail channel by volume. My teenage daughters shop resale not because it's 'sustainable', but because their money goes further. There's a real opportunity for more local authorities to capitalise on this momentum - using planning, assets and high streets to make recommerce the norm.

Yet despite this, circular economy activity is still rarely embedded across local strategies. A quick scan of current Local Nature Recovery Strategies shows very few references to circular economic activity as a mechanism for biodiversity recovery. We talk a lot about planting, drilling holes for insects, bat and swift boxes - all extremely valuable - but rarely about how economic systems themselves can leave space for nature to thrive.

Both the #WearNext campaign and ReTuna reduce pressure on natural systems by keeping materials in use and reducing demand for virgin resources. Circular economy activity is nature recovery - even if we don't always name it that way.

3. Services and skills: affordability, dignity and opportunity

Local government also plays a crucial role as a service operator and skills builder.

In Belo Horizonte, Brazil, a city-run Computer Recycling Centre trains people from low-income communities to restore donated IT equipment. That equipment supports over 300 digital inclusion sites offering free access to computers, internet and training. Refurbished devices are also resold, creating income to sustain the service and pay wages.

We know demand for affordable tech is growing. In the UK, refurbished electronics now make up a significant share of online sales - not necessarily because people are motivated by sustainability, but because refurbished is cheaper.

The same logic applies to food systems. There is huge potential for local government to support healthy, resilient local food economies that build skills and create jobs.

In Devon, a regenerative farm identified a shortage of skills needed to support farmers transitioning to regenerative practices - essential for soil health and biodiversity. With support from the county council, the Apricot Centre developed a training programme in Regenerative Land Systems. The pilot trained 23 people, with 10 securing local jobs, and partnerships are now forming to scale the programme.

So who is the circular economy really for?

Let's return to the single mum in temporary accommodation.

She's probably not worrying about biodiversity metrics or greenhouse gas emissions. She's worried about whether she can afford food, clothes and technology. She wants to feel good and look nice, but local resale options are limited. If she buys refurbished tech, it's online - not from a trusted local supplier.

So when we talk about circular cities and regions, the real test isn't whether they look innovative or tick sustainability boxes.

The test is whether they make everyday life more affordable, more resilient and more dignified - for people, businesses and the natural systems they depend on. Local government is where the circular economy either becomes real - or remains optional. And that is both a responsibility, and a huge opportunity.

Three things to think about

Local government makes the circular economy work when it designs for affordability, not awareness. Circularity cannot rely on people making 'better choices'. Systems, services and markets must be designed so the circular option is the default and the most accessible. If it costs more, it won't scale. And if it's not cool, it won't either.

It uses place-based power to build circular systems. Councils are asset owners, service providers, planners, procurers and convenors. When these levers are aligned, circular systems can emerge - not just isolated pilots.

And it treats the circular economy as economic and social infrastructure. The circular economy is not an environmental add-on. It is an economic model that delivers jobs, skills, resilience and wellbeing - with environmental benefits as the outcome.