IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/envpol/v27y2025i3d10.1007_s10018-025-00442-7.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unlocking the biobased future: investigating recycling lock-ins and corporate power in the adoption of biobased food packaging

Author

Listed:
  • L. H. Aramyan

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • N. Herceglić

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • G.M. Splinter

    (Wageningen University and Research)

  • A. Susa

    (Wageningen University and Research)

Abstract

Adverse impacts of plastic can be reduced by shifting to a circular bioeconomy with biobased plastics. Incumbents face barriers, including the alleged “recycling lock-in”, hindering the adoption of new polymers due to the current plastic packaging system. Corporate power is crucial in promoting this shift. This study focuses on corporate power in the Dutch plastic packaging sector, analyzing conflicts of interest and barriers in transitioning to a circular bioeconomy. Market-based Instruments’ effectiveness in promoting circularity among food companies is explored. Fifteen incumbents in Dutch plastic food packaging sector were interviewed. Reasons for not widely using biobased polymers are: technical performance issues, higher prices, limited availability and lack of recycling infrastructure. Moreover, existing recycling infrastructure, regulations, and practices are optimized for fossil-based polymers, creating lock-ins for the inclusion of new materials. Despite no legal barriers, companies are hesitant to use biobased plastics due to system challenges. They struggle to transition from fossil-based to biobased plastic packaging due to resistance to change. Power dynamics analysis shows that the petrochemical industry, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector, and retail dominance has decreased in the past decade, with governmental measures increasing the influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and recyclers. No single entity controls the system.

Suggested Citation

  • L. H. Aramyan & Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen & N. Herceglić & G.M. Splinter & A. Susa, 2025. "Unlocking the biobased future: investigating recycling lock-ins and corporate power in the adoption of biobased food packaging," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 27(3), pages 471-509, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envpol:v:27:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10018-025-00442-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10018-025-00442-7
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10018-025-00442-7
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10018-025-00442-7?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. David L. Levy & Daniel Egan, 2003. "A Neo‐Gramscian Approach to Corporate Political Strategy: Conflict and Accommodation in the Climate Change Negotiations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(4), pages 803-829, June.
    2. Raymond Gradus, 2020. "Postcollection Separation of Plastic Recycling and Design-For-Recycling as Solutions to Low Cost-Effectiveness and Plastic Debris," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-12, October.
    3. Sarah Schmidt & David Laner, 2023. "The environmental performance of plastic packaging waste management in Germany: Current and future key factors," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(6), pages 1447-1460, December.
    4. Manuel Häußler & Marcel Eck & Dario Rothauer & Stefan Mecking, 2021. "Closed-loop recycling of polyethylene-like materials," Nature, Nature, vol. 590(7846), pages 423-427, February.
    5. Fuchs, Doris & Lederer, Markus ML, 2007. "The Power of Business," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 1-17, December.
    6. Babic, Milan & Huijzer, Jouke & Garcia-Bernardo, Javier & Valeeva, Diliara, 2022. "How does business power operate? A framework for its working mechanisms," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(2), pages 133-150, June.
    7. Ansink, Erik & Wijk, Louise & Zuidmeer, Frederiek, 2022. "No clue about bioplastics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    8. Mairon G. Bastos Lima, 2021. "Corporate Power in the Bioeconomy Transition: The Policies and Politics of Conservative Ecological Modernization in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Arno Kourula & Guillaume Delalieux, 2016. "The Micro-level Foundations and Dynamics of Political Corporate Social Responsibility: Hegemony and Passive Revolution through Civil Society," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(4), pages 769-785, June.
    2. Manuel Hensmans, 2011. "WHAT IS STRATEGY? The case of retail finance and English Building Societies," Working Papers CEB 11-049, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    3. Janina Grabs & Graeme Auld & Benjamin Cashore, 2021. "Private regulation, public policy, and the perils of adverse ontological selection," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(4), pages 1183-1208, October.
    4. Börçe Tunçok-Çeşme & Eren Yıldız-Geyhan & Gökçen Alev Çiftçioğlu, 2024. "Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Two Types of Flexible Plastic Packaging under a Sustainable Circular Economy Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-25, April.
    5. Salih Çevikarslan & Carsten Gelhard & Jörg Henseler, 2022. "Improving the Material and Financial Circularity of the Plastic Packaging Value Chain in The Netherlands: Challenges, Opportunities, and Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-23, June.
    6. Léa Barbaut & Olivier Brette & Nathalie Lazaric & Valérie Massardier & Valérie Revest, 2023. "Bio-based Plastics: a ‘Sustainable’ Alternative for the Plastic Industry?," Post-Print halshs-04188889, HAL.
    7. Barbosa de Andrade Aragão, Rafaela & Bastos Lima, Mairon G. & Burns, Georgette Leah & Ross, Helen & Biggs, Duan, 2024. "‘Greenlash’ and reactionary stakeholders in environmental governance: An analysis of soy farmers against zero deforestation in Brazil," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    8. Daniel H. Weinland & Kevin van der Maas & Yue Wang & Bruno Bottega Pergher & Robert-Jan van Putten & Bing Wang & Gert-Jan M. Gruter, 2022. "Overcoming the low reactivity of biobased, secondary diols in polyester synthesis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. repec:dau:papers:123456789/3626 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Woon Leong Lin, 2019. "Is Corporate Political Activity an Investment or Agency? An Application of System GMM Approach," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, January.
    11. Joel Henrique Ellwanger & Carlos Afonso Nobre & José Artur Bogo Chies, 2022. "Brazilian Biodiversity as a Source of Power and Sustainable Development: A Neglected Opportunity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    12. Anne Tallontire & Maggie Opondo & Valerie Nelson & Adrienne Martin, 2011. "Beyond the vertical? Using value chains and governance as a framework to analyse private standards initiatives in agri-food chains," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 28(3), pages 427-441, September.
    13. Carter, Chris & Clegg, Stewart & Wåhlin, Nils, 2011. "When science meets strategic realpolitik: The case of the Copenhagen UN climate change summit," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 22(7), pages 682-697.
    14. Hirschl, Bernd, 2009. "International renewable energy policy--between marginalization and initial approaches," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(11), pages 4407-4416, November.
    15. Xun Zhang & Ximin Feng & Wenqi Guo & Chengjian Zhang & Xinghong Zhang, 2024. "Chemically recyclable polyvinyl chloride-like plastics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    16. Burkard Eberlein & Dirk Matten, 2009. "Business Responses to Climate Change Regulation in Canada and Germany: Lessons for MNCs from Emerging Economies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(2), pages 241-255, March.
    17. Xing-Wang Han & Xun Zhang & Youyun Zhou & Aizezi Maimaitiming & Xiu-Li Sun & Yanshan Gao & Peizhi Li & Boyu Zhu & Eugene Y.-X. Chen & Xiaokang Kuang & Yong Tang, 2024. "Circular olefin copolymers made de novo from ethylene and α-olefins," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Hélène Peton & Antoine Blanc, 2011. "The interplay of agencies in institutional disruption: An explanation of the slow death of asbestos in France," Post-Print halshs-00672436, HAL.
    19. Elbert Dijkgraaf & Raymond Gradus, 2021. "Are Bottle Banks Sufficiently Effective for Increasing Glass Recycling Rates?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-11, August.
    20. Richard Bärnthaler & Andreas Novy & Lea Arzberger & Astrid Krisch & Hans Volmary, 2024. "The power to transform structures: power complexes and the challenges for realising a wellbeing economy," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, December.
    21. Congiu, Luca & Botta, Enrico & Zoli, Mariangela, 2025. "Biases and nudges in the circular economy: A review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:envpol:v:27:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10018-025-00442-7. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.