How tackling throwaway culture could help Labour win back its voters – Inside track

Since the 2024 election, we’ve heard a lot about how the government must find new votes to maintain its historic majority beyond this term. No sooner had the dust settled on the victory than More in Common identified Labour’s “electoral wheelbarrow”: a broad coalition of voters from very different segments of the British public. With the government struggling in the polls, conversation now turns to how Labour can get its “Reform curious” voters back.

The prescription is easy to say and hard to achieve: find policies where you can be bold and appeal to the different flanks at once.

Green Alliance wanted to see how making better use of resources would appeal across the political spectrum, particularly among wavering Labour voters. With the government  currently developing what will be England’s first Circular Economy Strategy, could this fit the brief? We got Yonder Consulting to survey 2000 British adults to find out.

Frustrations with throwaway culture transcend political lines
Brits can see the problem in front of them, with 83 per cent agreeing that “throwaway culture is a big problem in the UK”. They want to see change: 82 per cent agree “there is a need to shift towards a society that uses material resources more efficiently”. This cuts across different voter groups. Ninety two per cent of “Lib Dem curious” Labour voters are in favour of a shift, as are 90 per cent of the “Green curious”. Among the “Reform curious”, we see a slightly lower number but still a clear majority, at 76 per cent. The same applies with those who actually voted Reform in 2024 (78 per cent).

In many ways, this is not surprising. We live in a deeply wasteful society, using twice as many resources as the United Nations says is sustainable. But an apprehension against waste, to “waste not want not”, remains embedded even if it is buried under a pile of fast fashion clothes. Many of the activities and values of a circular economy could be described as traditional, even old fashioned: buying less and better, repairing more, taking care. Throwaway culture is an everyday annoyance for many, with 72 per cent often frustrated with short product lifespans.

We also found that most of the public are willing to take their share of the responsibility. When asked to choose whether tackling waste should be the responsibility of companies or of everyone, three quarters chose everyone. Politicians are often worried about behaviour change, but two thirds said they would support a shift even if it changed how they live. A similar number (62 per cent) of Reform curious Labour voters landed on the same side. Among the Lib Dem and Green curious, it was over four fifths.

Resource use, repair and responsibility must underpin the Circular Economy Strategy
The data sets out clear support for broad ambition and immediate action. Seventy four per cent of the public support a long term target to bring resource use within sustainable limits, again with majorities on Labour’s different flanks. The government should make this target the north star of the strategy.

Introducing an affordable consumer “right to repair” and obliging businesses to provide recycling services for their products fare particularly well with Reform curious Labour voters, at 78 per cent and 80 per cent supporting respectively. These are tangible measures that can help clean up streets, save consumers money and make it easier for people to take action.

What’s more, there is a strong reputational benefit among wavering Labour voters when they hear government pledges on the circular economy. Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s commitments to “end the throwaway society” and “get better use out of our materials” had a positive impact on 77 per cent of Lib Dem curious Labour voters, 80 per cent of the Green curious and 57 per cent of the Reform curious.

The government should be vocal making these improvements.

Wales proves it works
Often public opinion polling leads us to ask: will this really work on the doorstep? Will these positive sentiments survive when changes start coming in?

Wales is a step or two ahead of England on the circular economy. It now has the second highest recycling rate in the world and brought forward its circular economy strategy in 2021. Our data shows that this progress has, if anything, reinforced public support for better resource use, with Welsh support for key circular policies matching or exceeding the GB average.

2025 can be a crucial year for the circular economy in the UK, a turning point from mountains of waste to cleaner rivers, more jobs and a smaller global footprint. Voters are ready for change.

So, can England’s first Circular Economy Strategy fit the brief? The answer is a clear yes.