Reuse report: A Review of Wellington's Reuse Landscape

Reuse Report: A Review of Wellington's Reuse Landscape

A new report by Reuse Aotearoa has mapped the circular economy landscape across Wellington, Lower Hutt, and Porirua, identifying initiatives dedicated to reuse, repair, and sharing (RRS).

While the activity is significant (with 456 services studied) the report highlights that these services are unevenly spread across different product types.

This fragmentation creates gaps in provision that can make RRS less accessible and attractive to the general public compared to traditional linear consumption.

For the plastics industry, the report identifies critical barriers that resonate with our sector's own sustainability efforts: a lack of financial viability for circular models and limited access to suitable infrastructure. However, these challenges present a clear opportunity for industry players to step in. By leveraging the report’s findings, businesses can identify specific "gaps in provision" where their logistical expertise or material knowledge could help scale existing RRS initiatives.

Several of our industry members are already demonstrating how to support commercial reuse models. For example, PACT Group provides a wide array of B2B reusable options, including garment hangers, fresh produce crates, and bins designed to keep resources in circulation for longer. Similarly, Bonson has partnered with New World stores to create the ‘RePlay’ system, offering customers durable, returnable deli containers through a "tap-to-borrow" smart bin technology. 

These examples show that when industry takes the lead, reuse can become a seamless part of the customer experience. This report serves as a timely prompt for all industry players to reassess what reuse solutions they can be a part of. Whether through standardising impact reporting or sharing infrastructural resources, there is a clear path to turning circular theory into a resilient, commercially viable reality for the plastics sector.

We encourage members to read the report and consider where you could contribute to the reuse economy. Visit https://reuseaotearoa.org.nz/reuse-repair-share-wellington-feb2026/ to download the report.