The latest news and updates from the access economy, and how item renting and sharing became that little bit easier in July 2026.
Two landmark EU rules come into force in July
Two significant regulatory shifts for the circular economy happened this month. On 19 July, a ban on destroying unsold clothing came into force which requires large EU companies to prioritise keeping unsold garments and footwear in use rather than discarding them. Then on 31 July, new right-to-repair rules gave consumers the right to have technically repairable products fixed at a reasonable price, and giving them an extra 12 months on the legal guarantee if they choose repair over replacement. Together, a strong signal that keeping products in use must move up business’ priority lists.
Saint-Quentin launches sharing stations at Parc d’Isle – and makes national news
Saint-Quentin has become the latest city to open sharing stations as part of the Digital Kiosks project, with two new connected locker cabinets installed at the city’s Parc d’Isle. Visitors can now borrow sports and games equipment, from footballs and Mölkky sets to binoculars for observing the park’s local biodiversity – free of charge, directly from their smartphone.
The launch, branded locally as “Tout Prêt”, was picked up by La Gazette France, which framed it as an example of the city prioritising use over ownership. Saint-Quentin is the lead partner on the EU-funded Digital Kiosks project, and the stations are co-financed by the EU at 60%.
Apartment building sharing made simple with the “lending wall”
Leihklub Bremen, a non-profit sharing club in Germany, has devised the Leihwand (“lending wall”): a printed A2 poster that can be mounted in the entrance hall of residential buildings. Simple black-and-white icons show common household items – drills, ladders, sewing machines, camping gear, board games – and residents can write their name and flat number beneath anything they’re willing to lend. The idea removes the awkwardness of knocking on a stranger’s door and makes lending offers visible as part of the daily routine.
The Leihwand is so far present in around ten buildings in Bremen, and the poster is free to download and costs almost nothing to print. For housing associations and local authorities looking for a near-zero-cost way to support sustainability and community cohesion, it’s about as low a barrier as it gets.
Circular Lugano helps avoid 1 million kg of CO2 emissions since May 2022
Circular Lugano, the Switzerland-based for-profit library of things, has announced a major milestone: over one million kilograms of CO2 emissions saved since May 2022, based on the emissions that would have been generated had the rented items been purchased new. It’s a striking figure and a useful proof point for anyone making the environmental case for libraries of things at scale.
Library of Things podcast digs into the design decisions behind behaviour change
The latest episode of Business Unusual, the Library of Things podcast, offers a thoughtful look back at some of the service design decisions that have shaped LoT over the past 12 years. The team reflect on why they prioritised physical spaces over a standalone app, how community design influences uptake, why they chose not to go peer-to-peer, and what the right amount of friction is for a habit to stick.
One stat stands out: 70% of LoT users say they go on to reuse, recycle and repair more as a result of using the service. For practitioners thinking about how to design sharing and rental services that actually change behaviour, it’s well worth a listen.
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