Front-end Marketing for Recycled Plastics: The Role of Experiential Material Evaluation
(A2020-59072)

AUTHORS

Lore Veelaert, University of Antwerp; Ingrid Moons, University of Antwerp; Els Du Bois, university of Antwerp; Patrick De Pelsmacker, University of Antwerpen

KEYWORDS

Recycling ; Experience; Sustainability

ABSTRACT

The material of a product in itself will contribute to the product’s functionality, symbolic meaning, and overall sensory product experience. Sustainability aims to increase the attention to material choice and selection away from virgin materials, both in the production of raw materials and in the impact on future generated waste. Stakeholders at the front end of innovation must be marketed to implement recycled plastics in new product ideas. Moreover to increase market opportunities, products should be developed that fit with a brand and evoke symbolic meanings that are congruent with these brands. The presented semi-quantitative research (n=60) that uses diverse stimuli, aims to gain insight into how engineers and designers, perceive this symbolic meaning of recycled plastics materials. It provides us with indication for characteristics that are most ‘defining’ of post-consumer recycled plastics and informs us how to target these front end industrial users.