How reuse, repair, sharing and Libraries of Things can become everyday choices in Finland, Latvia and Sweden

ReSolutions teams explored a simple question across Finland, Latvia and Sweden: what helps people choose reuse, repair, sharing and borrowing, and what makes these options difficult? Based on desk research, interviews and discourse analysis, ReSolutions will design activities that address common barriers to circular participation across the three countries. To answer this question, we combined a broad review of national and international sources with interviews involving different stakeholder groups in all three countries. This gave us a clear picture of what is already working, where people struggle, and where the biggest opportunities lie.

The main takeaway is very down-to-earth: many people support circular ideas, but everyday life gets in the way. People often choose the “buy new” option when reuse or repair is hard to find, takes extra time, or feels uncertain. The most common obstacles were low visibility, meaning people do not know what exists or where to go; confusing terms; uneven access, especially outside cities; and trust concerns related to hygiene, quality, responsibility, or what happens if something goes wrong. What helps most is the opposite: services that are easy to use, clear rules, and strong signals of reliability. Public institutions such as libraries, municipalities and well-known NGOs can make a big difference by acting as trusted entry points.

We also identified some useful country-specific patterns. In Finland, there are strong local examples to build on, especially through libraries, and the key is to make these options even easier and more convenient for users. In Latvia, the biggest needs are clearer practical guidance, stronger trust-building, and wider access to reuse and repair options. In Sweden, the challenge is less about awareness and more about scaling: turning ambition into everyday routines through clearer responsibilities, better measurement, and incentives that make keeping products in use the easiest choice.

Read more here: Changing narratives summary report (PDF)