The circular economy is increasingly emerging as a solution for cost reduction and the use of renewable energy is the main direction for approximately eight out of ten companies in Romania (77%) that invest in the transition to this economic model, according to the Deloitte "Circular economy. Perception and stage of implementation in Romania 2025-2026" study. Other key priorities include investments in employee training and retooling (62%), as well as optimizing resource use, selecting raw materials (54%) and projects related to research, development and innovation (54%).
Interest in implementing circularity measures remains high, driven by the pressure generated by the introduction of new European regulations, such as those governing cross-border waste shipments, stricter requirements to reduce the amount of packaging and increase its reuse and recyclability, as well as rules for designing products in line with environmental requirements, together with the need to reduce operational costs. As a result, an increasing number of organizations in Romania associate the circular economy not only with compliance, but also with greater resource efficiency, stronger resilience and enhanced long-term competitiveness, the study shows.
Financing circular economy projects remains a significant challenge for companies active in our country, which rely mainly on their own sources (84%) and bank loans, while access to European funds and public programs is still limited. This trend reflects the difficulties encountered in the use of external sources of funding, determined by the complexity of administrative procedures, the high level of bureaucracy, a lack of predictability in support mechanisms and a shortage of expertise required for the development and implementation of eligible projects.
"The circular economy is being gradually integrated into business decisions as a response to pressures related to costs, resources and regulations. Companies focus primarily on measures that have a direct and rapid impact, but in order to fully realize the potential of this model they need to accelerate initiatives with structural impact, such as ecodesign or business model transformation," said Adrian Teampău, Director, Environmental Tax and Circular Economy, Deloitte Romania.
The Romanian companies participating in the study consider that the highest costs are associated with retooling and equipment modernization (58%), implementation of renewable energy solutions (40%), as well as research, development and innovation activities (38%). At the same time, they face significant pressures related to return on investment, cost recovery, maintaining competitiveness and volatility in energy and resource prices.
Interest among Romanian consumers in sustainable products and services is increasing, as greater attention is being paid to environmental impact, reuse and recycling. Companies are seeing this trend through a growing interest in sustainable products, reusability and repairability, reducing environmental impact, as well as recyclable packaging and responsible consumption practices.
However, price remains the main criterion in the purchase decision, indicating that the local market is still highly cost-sensitive and the benefits of the circular economy are not yet fully assumed and integrated into consumer behavior, the study shows.
"The transition to a business model that integrates sustainability principles is driven by a combination of economic, regulatory and market factors and companies must find the balance between short-term efficiency and strategic investments. Access to financing and the development of internal skills will be key to accelerating this transition, and organizations that proactively address these challenges will have a significant competitive advantage in an increasingly volatile environment," said Anca Andrei-Cimbru, Manager, Environmental Tax and Circular Economy, Deloitte Romania.
Although the level of familiarity with the principles of the circular economy is high among the local companies participating in the study, the implementation remains uneven across industries and types of organizations, with a higher degree of maturity among large companies and those directly exposed to international standards. Overall, the circular economy is strengthening its role as a key element of the business strategy, but the pace of adoption will depend on companies’ ability to overcome existing barriers and support transformation in the medium and long term, the study indicates.
The Deloitte study "Circular economy. Perception and stage of implementation in Romania" analyzes how the concept of circular economy is understood at local level and assesses the progress made in adopting this development model. The latest edition of the study was conducted based on data collected between September 2025 and April 2026, among 55 companies on the local market, entrepreneurial businesses or subsidiaries of multinational corporations, from economic sectors such as manufacturing, FMCG, construction, services, etc., with representatives of sustainability departments and top management as respondents.
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