Abstract
A global analysis shows that considerable forces contribute nowadays to the perpetuation of the so-called “developed” model of consumption, and its extension to growing parts of the world, despite reiterated calls for “modification of production and consumption patterns”. Environmental product regulation can be situated in this general perspective. This paper returns to the framing of policies devoted to ecologically sustainable consumption, taking the example of the Integrated product policy at the European level. How are the objectives of such policies defined? What instruments are privileged? Comparing theoretical approaches with policy design, we focus on the role devoted to consumers in these contexts. Bringing in literature evidence, survey results and findings from an original study, we argue that appropriate knowledge of the diversity of consumers’ attitudes and about the limitations of their possible actions is not properly taken into account in product policies, notably when information and voluntary tools are dominant. From this point of view, environmental product regulations are well justified, but they should, as all policy instruments implicating consumers, take careful notice of their situation.
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Abbreviations
- EMAS:
-
Environmental management systems
- IPP:
-
Integrated product policy
- LCA:
-
Life-cycle analysis
- Nox:
-
Nitrogenous oxide
- OECD:
-
Organization for economic co-operation and development
- POPs:
-
Persistant organic pollutants
- SNA:
-
System of national account
- TMR:
-
Total material requirement
- VOC:
-
Volatile organic compound
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Acknowledgements
Vincent Bruyer has worked on a project delivering some of the results presented herein, mostly on surveys, we especially thank him for his contribution. We thank the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office for supporting this research, Jonathan Burnam and Catherine Patris for adapting the English writing, and Coline Ruwet for assisting the final edited version.
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Zaccaï, E. Assessing the role of consumers in sustainable product policies. Environ Dev Sustain 10, 51–67 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-006-9038-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-006-9038-3