Chain Reaction Ep. 35: Why Circular Retail Is a $2 Trillion Opportunity Most Retailers Are Missing

John Atcheson, Co-Founder and CEO of Circular Way, reframes a familiar sustainability problem as a massive commercial opportunity. Most retailers and brands treat circularity as an environmental obligation - a sustainability checkbox to appease conscious consumers. John's thesis is more radical: circular design is a demand signal. Products that last, can be repaired, and are genuinely reusable command premium prices and stronger customer loyalty. The catch is that circular models require different supply chains and entirely different product design thinking. Linear retail - make, sell, dispose - optimises for cost and speed. Circular retail optimises for durability, repairability, and material recovery. This upstream change affects everything: sourcing, manufacturing standards, packaging, reverse logistics, and customer service. For e-commerce and fashion operators, this matters acutely. Returns and waste are massive cost drivers. Products designed for reuse rather than disposal reduce both. John's conversation explores the economics of circularity in detail - not as environmental sentiment but as commercial reality. The trillion-pound opportunity exists because consumers increasingly demand better products, and the supply chains that can deliver them will capture significant market share.