Buyerdock Circular Economy Exchange at the House of Lords
18-09-2025
Lord Erroll and Baroness Uddin recently hosted, 17th September 2025, the Buyerdock Circular Economy Exchange in Committee Room G at the House of Lords. The event also marked the second anniversary of the Buyerdock roundtable.
From Buyerdock, thanks were given to Jonathan Sparkes and Kevin Dixie for their contributions to the day.
The afternoon featured an engaging mix of discussion and debate, covering themes such as:
- Consumer responsibility – how can we make it easier for the public to buy less and take part in circular solutions?
- Behaviour change strategies – what really works to encourage repair, rental, and second-hand purchasing?
- EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) – how technology can support brands and retailers to meet new legislation.
- Legislation – is regulation the most effective way to hold the industry accountable for waste?
- Innovation – how new materials and recycling technologies can support a circular model.
Participants included Salli Deighton (pictured right) from Laundre, Rosalind Bluestone from Goods for Good, Joanne Jørgensen from Team Glue, Simon Payne from Sole Responsibility, and many more.
One of the strongest themes to emerge was the role of the consumer in driving change, with calls for greater education around responsible consumption. However, this raises an uncomfortable tension: the overwhelming force of advertising.
The UK advertising industry is one of the most powerful in the world. In 2022, £39.4 billion was spent on advertising—more than any other European country. Digital ad spend alone reached £12.5 billion in just the first half of 2022, a 15% year-on-year increase. Everywhere we go—on the street, on TV, or on our phones—consumers are urged to buy more. Social media influencers amplify this, often preying on vulnerabilities and insecurities to convince audiences they need the latest product to look or feel a certain way.
In this environment, is it realistic to expect consumers to resist overconsumption? The economic model depends on ever-increasing sales, yet the environmental cost is undeniable. In the UK alone, 1.45 million tonnes of used textiles were generated in 2022, with nearly half going to incineration or landfill.
The question is: how do we strike a balance, ensuring brands and retailers remain economically viable while tackling the escalating crisis of consumer waste that threatens the planet?
