New article develops multilevel systems model for a fully realised Circular Economy
3 March 2026
A new article has developed a foundational multilevel systems model clarifying how product users engage in a fully realised Circular Economy.
This article, co-authored by Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, presents a comprehensive and empirically validated multilevel systems model that positions the product user at the center of a fully realized Circular Economy (CE).
The work addresses a critical gap in CE research: the absence of a structured, system-wide understanding of how consumption and production systems interact from the user’s perspective. Through an iterative modelling process and a Delphi study involving 14 international experts, the authors define the essential components, flows, actors, and settings required for product users to engage in CE behaviours such as repair, reuse, sharing, and recycling. The model distinguishes between micro-, micro–meso-, and meso-level determinants, revealing the “hidden” infrastructures, technologies, and organizational functions that enable circular practices at scale. By offering a material-flow-focused systems foundation, the article paves the way for integrating social, ecological, technological and policy dimensions into future CE research and decision-making. The article delivers a validated systems model that integrates consumption and production, enabling clearer analysis of product-user roles and the functions required for a fully circular economy.
Read the paper in Frontiers in Sustainability.