Scaling refill on-the-go entrepreneurship in the Global South: socio-technical enablers and barriers

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Abstract
Reusable packaging systems offer significant potential to reduce single-use packaging waste and its associated environmental impacts. While recent literature has investigated the factors that enable or hinder their adoption, implementation and diffusion, existing studies predominantly focus on Global North contexts, treat ’reuse’ broadly rather than differentiating between different reuse systems, and rarely provide an entrepreneurial perspective. This paper addresses this gap by examining the enablers and barriers faced by entrepreneurs in the Global South in implementing and scaling the refill-on-the-go reuse systems. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 18 entrepreneurs, the study provides an empirical and systematic account of the enablers and barriers affecting refill on-the-go entrepreneurship in the Global South. Findings suggest that the refill-on-the-go reuse system’s implementation and scaling are shaped by multiple interacting factors: environmental, economic, social, institutional, technological/informational, supply chain, ecosystem, and organisational. These factors do not operate in isolation but form a complex system that constrains or enables entrepreneurial action. The results highlight that entrepreneurs must move beyond short-term operational problem-solving and adopt a systemic and strategic approach, including improved coordination across partnerships, infrastructure, regulation, legitimacy and behaviour change, to ensure their success. In addition, policymakers and governments can play a pivotal role in addressing structural barriers through refill-specific regulations, standards, infrastructures and incentives, thereby strengthening uptake and legitimising the refill practice.

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