PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1713558
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1713558
The circular economy is an economic system designed to reduce waste and maximize the use of available resources by keeping products, materials, and resources in the economy for as long as possible. It emphasizes creating closed-loop systems to minimize both waste and resource input. This model represents a shift towards a more sustainable and regenerative approach, benefiting businesses, consumers, and the environment through increased efficiency, longevity, and resource recovery.
Circular economy initiatives address various types of waste, including clothing and textile waste, electronic waste, food waste, glass waste, plastic waste, and wood waste. Clothing and textile waste refers to discarded garments, fabrics, and other materials that are no longer in use or have been discarded. This type of waste is managed by both large enterprises and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across various industries, including manufacturing, consumer goods, waste management and recycling, construction and building materials, automotive and transportation, and food and agriculture.
The circular economy market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides circular economy market statistics, including circular economy industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a circular economy market share, detailed circular economy market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the circular economy industry. This circular economy market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The circular economy market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $463.07 billion in 2024 to $517.79 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in urban mining, growth in corporate social responsibility, rise of e-commerce, rise of circular business models, and the rise of smart cities.
The circular economy market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $798.3 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.4%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing pressure on landfills and waste management, increasing global population, rise of e-commerce, increasing digital resale platforms, increasing need for supply chain resilience, increasing research and development, and rising environmental concerns. Major trends in the forecast period include technological advancements, recycling technology, digital technologies, eco-design, and blockchain for traceability.
The increasing volume of electronic waste is expected to drive growth in the circular economy market in the future. Electronic waste, or e-waste, consists of discarded electrical and electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, and household appliances that are no longer in use or have reached the end of their lifecycle. The rising volume of e-waste is attributed to frequent product upgrades, shorter device lifespans, and growing consumer demand for the latest gadgets, which accelerates the obsolescence and disposal of older devices. This escalating e-waste necessitates sustainable management practices, fostering advancements in recycling technologies, promoting the design of durable and repairable products, encouraging new business models, and supporting regulatory and consumer-driven changes. Collectively, these factors contribute to the expansion of the circular economy by creating new opportunities and innovations in e-waste management and resource recovery. For example, a report by the International Telecommunication Union published in March 2024 indicates that approximately 62 million metric tons of e-waste were generated in 2022. With e-waste production increasing by 2.6 million metric tons annually, it is projected to reach 82 million metric tons by 2030, representing a 33% rise from 2022 levels. Thus, the growing volume of electronic waste is a key driver of the circular economy market.
Leading companies in the circular economy market are concentrating on developing innovative products and solutions, particularly in recycling, to enhance sustainability and resource efficiency. Recycling involves collecting, processing, and converting waste materials into new products to prevent the loss of valuable materials. For instance, in October 2022, Braskem S.A., a Brazil-based chemical and polymer company, introduced Wenew, its global circular economy ecosystem. Wenew will identify Braskem's polymers and chemical products with recycled content under this brand. This initiative highlights technologies that support Braskem's shift towards a circular economy, including advanced recycling methods and innovative solutions to transform industrial processes. Wenew represents Braskem's commitment to sustainability, focusing on four main areas, products, education, technology, and circular design. The goal is to advance Braskem towards a more circular future through collaboration with the production chain and society to foster a progressively circular and sustainable world.
In November 2023, Jabil Inc., a US-based global manufacturing services company, acquired Retronix for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition aims to enhance Jabil's capabilities in recovering, refurbishing, and recycling product components and materials, thereby reducing electronic waste and advancing circular economy initiatives. Retronix, a UK-based company, offers services that support the circular economy.
Major companies operating in the circular economy market are Nestle S.A., Braskem S.A., Sony Group Corporation, Unilever PLC, Panasonic Holdings Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Cisco Systems Inc., Veolia Environnement S.A., Honeywell International Inc., Holcim Group, SAP SE, Adidas AG, H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, Waste Management Inc., Remondis SE & Co. KG, Eastman Chemical Company, Assurant Inc., The Savola Group, Levi Strauss & Co., Hitachi Zosen Corporation, UL Solutions Inc., Renewi plc, Daiseki Co. Ltd., Ragn-Sells Group AB, Patagonia Inc., Sims Lifecycle Services, TerraCycle Inc., ECOR Global Inc., Cloverly Inc., Madewell
Europe was the largest region in the circular economy market in 2024. The regions covered in the circular economy market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the circular economy market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The circular economy market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as product design and development, repair and maintenance services, remanufacturing and refurbishing, recycling and resource recovery, reverse logistics and circular supply chain consulting. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The circular economy market also includes sales of modular furniture, recycled and upcycled clothing, refurbished electronics, reusable packaging, eco-friendly building materials and sustainable home appliances. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD, unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Circular Economy Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on circular economy market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for circular economy ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward? The circular economy market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the Russia-Ukraine war, rising inflation, higher interest rates, and the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic.