Circularity Gap Report 2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

Yes, we're going backwards...

The Circularity Gap Report 2026 puts the global economy at 7.2% circular. Down from 9.1% in 2018. We have had a decade of net zero pledges, national recycling targets, corporate sustainability reports, and thousands of circular economy conferences. And the circularity rate has fallen.

It's not great reading, but it also tells you something important about what actually drives change.

Circularity does not improve through intention. It improves when the economics of keeping a material in use are better than the economics of throwing it away. The gap does not close through better recycling bins or biodegradable packaging.

It closes when the cost of a product is no longer a barrier. 

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁.