Design for customer engagement in the transition to a circular economy

Design for customer engagement in the transition to a circular economy: A case study in Senseo coffee machines

Bouma, Jozine (TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering)

Mugge, Ruth (mentor)
van Engelen, Jo (mentor)
Poppelaars, Flora (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Integrated Product Design

2019-01-07

This report is a graduation thesis for the master Integrated Product Design at the Delft University of Technology. Carried out in collaboration with Philips Design in the Netherlands. The project is about how to engage consumers in the transition from a linear towards a circular economy in which we make more efficient use of materials and resources.

One of Philips’ objectives for 2020 (Philips.com, 2016) is that 15% of the turnover should come from solutions that meet Circular Economy principles. This was 8% in 2015 (Philips.be, 2016) which is a big change for a company.

Senseo has a large installed base. This is due to the huge success of the product since its launch in 2001. In 2012 a Senseo could be found in 60% of Dutch, and 27% of French households (Expatica.com, 2012). Besides, Senseo is the best sold product in the coffee business of Philips, mainly because its ease of use (Senseo.nl, 2018). Because of the high volumes and high distribution in the Netherlands and surrounding countries, an opportunity is found for creating much circular impact with the Senseo.

However, companies cannot shift to a circular economy alone: consumers are crucial in the success of the circular economy. Because even if a product is designed to circulate in a closed loop, its potential will only be realized if the consumer participates. Therefore, the goal of the project is to activate consumers to engage in the circular economy with a case study in Senseo coffee machines.

Senseo users can show circular behavior by taking good care of the product and by repairing it when it is malfunctioning, for extending the product’s lifetime. At the end-of-life of the product, the user can contribute by disposing the product at proper recycling points in order for the materials to be reused.

The outcome of the project is by integrating connectivity in the product (the internet of things, IoT), circular behavior among consumers can be stimulated and circular impact can be achieved.

Two main findings of the analysis are:
1. Need for support at the point of malfunctioning
2. After-sales data gaps

Connectivity (IoT) can contribute to these findings as follows. Connectivity can improve support because it facilitates easy access. The support stimulates circular behavior because users that receive support are encouraged and more likely to solve the problem instead of replacing it. By registering the product, users data can be gathered. This enables a virtuous circle because with the gathered data the support can be based on customer segmentation (e.g. demographics) and users can receive more customized support.

This corresponds to the Utopian vision that by means of a connected service, the Senseo has an unlimited lifetime and any of its parts can be replaced. Of course this is an ideal situation from an environmental perspective which cannot be achieved in the short term. By creating a roadmap, steps are proposed that contribute to getting closer to achieving this vision.

Consumer Behaviour
Circular Economy
Connectivity
IoT
Internet of Things
Product Service System

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e7213166-3a06-4e7e-8c9e-47e63af14c05

Student theses

master thesis

© 2019 Jozine Bouma