Ownership or alternative?

Principles of circular economy encourage a shift from thinking about necessary acquisitions of ownership to other options of use and utilization of the items to ensure the identified need. Using the words of our former EU commissioner Janez Potočnikq: Do we really want to be the owners of a refrigerator, or we just want healthy and chilled food? The shift is therefore from ownership to functionality of the subject. At the same time, there are numerous options possible: from the shared use to rental and leasing. This supports also a higher degree of use of the object, which circular economy understands as a non-use of resources (wasted sources, artificially shortened shelf life, unused capacity and wasted values). This kind of solutions also reduce the risks that arise from ownership - and at the same time encourage providers to high quality objects.

One of the first of cases that appear in connection with the circular economy is the case of the Schiphol airport, Holland, and the procurement of lights as a service (pay-per-lux) instead of procurement of lights or bulbs from Philips (now part of Philips called Signify) and by the Cofely company. At the same time, the provider kept its ownership, but they hope to gain other savings from innovations that have been installed and promise a longer life expectancy.