The European BELOOP project aims to promote more sustainable and responsible consumption habits, helping consumers make choices that contribute to a circular economy and more efficient use of resources.

Despite growing environmental awareness, barriers remain that hinder consumers from adopting circular behaviours. To tackle this challenge, BELOOP combines research into consumer behaviour, social sciences, and new technologies to identify the factors that influence consumers’ purchasing decisions and to develop strategies to facilitate the transition towards more responsible consumption models.

The project involves the development and validation of various interventions, such as environmental information tools, labelling schemes, awareness-raising campaigns and incentives, to help consumers make more sustainable choices. These solutions will be evaluated through pilot projects in four areas: sustainable food packaging, electronic products, shared mobility, and the reuse and repair of textiles. In addition, artificial intelligence-based tools will be explored to predict the effectiveness of different strategies before they are implemented.

EROSKI is taking part in the project by contributing its extensive experience in active listening, consumer participation and collaboration – fundamental aspects of its co-operative model. In collaboration with other project partners, it will contribute to the design and validation of strategies to improve understanding and acceptance of bio-based food packaging, including biodegradable solutions, and to promote more sustainable and circular consumption habits.

To this end, activities will be carried out with consumers, and pilot schemes will be conducted in real-world commercial settings, including information and awareness-raising campaigns, participatory workshops and consumer acceptance studies. These activities will enable analysis of how factors such as labelling, environmental information, and communication influence purchasing decisions and the proper management of packaging at the end of its useful life.

BELOOP brings together 21 European organisations, including companies, technology centres, universities, public authorities and organisations specialising in the circular economy, under the coordination of DRAXIS Research Ventures (Greece). The project will run for 36 months and is being carried out as part of the EU Horizon Europe programme.

By participating in BELOOP, EROSKI is strengthening its commitment to actively listening to and supporting consumers, seeking to better understand their needs, perceptions, and barriers to more sustainable alternatives, and to provide them with information and tools to help them make more responsible purchasing decisions and adopt more circular consumption habits.