Sustainable Value Chain of Industrial Biocomposite Consumption: Influence of COVID-19 and Consumer Behavior

Didzis Rutitis, Anete Smoca, Inga Uvarova, Janis Brizga, Dzintra Atstaja and Inese Mavlutova
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Didzis Rutitis: Circular Economy Center, Liepaja University, Lielā st. 14, LV-3401 Liepaja, Latvia
Anete Smoca: Institute of Design Technologies, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, Riga Technical University, Kipsalas st. 6, LV-1048 Riga, Latvia
Inga Uvarova: Management Department, BA School of Business and Finance, K.Valdemara st. 161, LV-1013 Riga, Latvia
Janis Brizga: Circular Economy Center, Liepaja University, Lielā st. 14, LV-3401 Liepaja, Latvia
Dzintra Atstaja: Management Department, BA School of Business and Finance, K.Valdemara st. 161, LV-1013 Riga, Latvia
Inese Mavlutova: Department of Economics and Finance, BA School of Business and Finance, K.Valdemara st. 161, LV-1013 Riga, Latvia

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-27

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most unprecedented crises of recent decades with a global effect on society and the economy. It has triggered changes in the behavior and consumption patterns of both final consumer and industrial consumers. The consumption patterns of industrial consumers are also influenced by changes in consumer values, environmental regulations, and technological developments. One of the technological highlights of the last decade is biocomposite materials being increasingly used by the packaging industry. The pandemic has highlighted the problems and challenges of the development of biocomposites to adapt to new market conditions. This study aims to investigate the industrial consumption of biocomposite materials and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the main stages of the value chain of sustainable industrial consumption of biocomposites. The research results reveal there is a growing interest in the use of biocomposites. Suppliers and processors of raw materials are being encouraged to optimize and adapt cleaner production processes in the sustainable transition pathway. The study highlights the positive impact of COVID-19 on the feedstock production, raw material processing, and packaging manufacturing stages of the value chain as well as the neutral impact on the product manufacturing stage and negative impact on the retail stage. The companies willing to move toward the sustainable industrial chain have to incorporate economic, environmental, social, stakeholder, volunteer, resilience, and long-term directions within their strategies.

Keywords: sustainable industrial consumption; sustainable value chain; biocomposite; sustainable packaging; COVID-19 pandemic influence; consumer behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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