Cross-Sectoral Patterns of Circular Consumption Behaviours: Evidence from R-Strategies

Transitioning to a circular economy requires not only systemic and technological change but also consumer engagement in circular practices. While circular economy research has extensively examined R-strategy frameworks, existing studies have largely focused on organisational and supply-side perspectives, with limited attention to how these strategies are reflected in consumer behaviour across product domains and how such behaviours can be addressed through policy. This study investigates reported circular consumption behaviour across three key product sectors: household appliances, consumer electronics and apparel. Drawing on data from a survey of 1,000 adult consumers in Poland, the analysis focuses on seven consumer-relevant R-strategies derived from the wider 9R framework: Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Repurpose and Recycle. The study examines sector-specific reported prevalence, cross-sectoral reach and associations between analogous behaviours across sectors. The results show that prolonged product use, mapped to Rethink in this study, is the most commonly reported practice and has the broadest cross-sectoral reach. Refuse and Repurpose show lower prevalence and narrower cross-sectoral reach. At the same time, analogous circular practices are positively associated across product sectors, indicating that circular consumption is sector-sensitive but partly interconnected. Exploratory CART analyses further indicate that these pairwise associations are accompanied by hierarchical and subgroup-specific cross-sectoral patterns. These findings provide new insights for consumer policy. They suggest value in considering both sector-sensitive instruments and broader practice-based approaches. Product longevity represents a relatively widespread cross-sectoral practice that may warrant particular policy attention, whereas less commonly reported behaviours such as purchase refusal, reduced consumption and repurposing may warrant more targeted attention. Circular consumer behaviours show partial, strategy-dependent cross-sectoral consistency. Prolonged product use is the most prevalent and widespread circular practice across sectors. Policy implications point to both sector-sensitive and broader practice-based approaches.