Reuse practices and household consumption work

This paper explores practices of reuse – understood as an environmentally preferable alternative to single-use consumption – at the household level. Based on observations of everyday grocery consumption activities across both ‘alternative’ retail sites associated with the provisioning of reuse and more ‘mainstream’ outlets, we identify some specific practices – including decanting, stock management and recirculating – which we conceptualize as a form of ‘consumption work’. Our analysis suggests that household practices of reuse are more prevalent and more varied than might be assumed in existing policy and related commentary. We conclude that future transitions to reuse might depend less on establishing new practices, driven by narratives of green consumerism. Rather, we suggest, greater attention should be paid to wider changes, including the transformation of supply chains to align with and facilitate the range of ‘reuse work’ currently observed within everyday domestic spaces.