MAGNO CONSUMER INSIGHTS – Month 5: Roles and Responsibilities in Waste Management
In the fifth chapter of our Consumer Awareness Campaign, we shift the spotlight to power dynamics. Who really decides how food is packaged? And how can consumers, NGOs, and businesses reshape that system together?
This month’s series examines how business models, stakeholder roles, and consumer engagement interact to either uphold or disrupt the status quo of plastic-heavy packaging. The key message? If we want to shift toward a circular, sustainable packaging system, we need to rethink not just materials—but incentives, narratives, and collaboration.
Through four focused articles, we explore the strategic levers of influence and the pathways to real change.
1. Business Models as the Hinge Between Companies, Consumers, and the Environment
We kicked off by exploring how business models shape the entire food packaging lifecycle—from material choices to waste streams. Circular business models that prioritize reusability, transparency, and systemic impact are not just better for the planet—they’re also increasingly aligned with consumer demand and smart economics. In an age where the wrong model is both risky and outdated, we ask: what are the models that can drive real transformation?
2. The Role of All Actors: Governments, NGOs, Businesses, Consumers, and International Organizations
Next, we looked at the collective effort needed for meaningful change. MAGNO’s multi-actor approach recognizes that no single sector can fix the system alone. This article outlines how coordinated action—backed by clear roles, shared responsibilities, and strategic alliances—can bridge existing gaps and accelerate the shift to sustainable packaging systems across local, national, and international scales.
3. Plastic Promises: How Big Business Shapes Our Packaging Reality (And What Consumers Can Do About It)
This article pulls back the curtain on who truly sets the rules of the packaging game. While consumers are often told they hold the power, this piece reveals how corporate structures, economic incentives, and misleading marketing continue to dominate. But consumers aren’t powerless. By recognizing these dynamics, they can apply targeted pressure and demand accountability from the real decision-makers.
4. Empowering Change Together: 7 Tips to Help Environmental NGOs Engage Consumers
To wrap up, we turned to civil society and its crucial role in activating the public. From demystifying sustainable packaging to co-creating solutions with communities, NGOs have unique power to transform consumers from passive observers to active changemakers. This article offers actionable strategies for NGOs to bridge the gap between science, systems, and society—so that information leads to action
At MAGNO, we know that meaningful change requires more than innovation. It demands inclusion, cooperation, and a fundamental rethinking of how packaging decisions are made. Month 5 highlights the need to realign business priorities, empower individuals, and work collectively across sectors to truly reshape the food packaging system.
Stay tuned as we continue exploring how every part of the system—consumer behavior, business models, policy, and civil society—can align toward a circular future.
