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Packaged science? Incumbent strategies of science capture from a power perspective

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Abstract
Transitions to a circular economy in Europe have not accelerated despite being a priority of the Green Deal. One reason behind the slow uptake is the active resistance by incumbent actors. This article explores the case of Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation to uncover resistance and capture strategies of incumbent single-use and takeaway industry actors that succeeded in reducing the ambition of the policy. Building on lobbying databases, and document and media analysis, the article uncovers strategies of using the legitimacy of science to exert influence. It shows how incumbents created doubts about the evidence base and produced their own scientific messaging; presents the ways they legitimised their role as scientific stakeholders in institutional settings; and examines the approach they took to align their interests with the policymakers' expectations. It analyses these strategies from a power perspective to investigate the complexity of capture and to provide a discussion on the mechanisms that reinforce deep-rooted patterns of incumbency.
Keywords
Incumbents, Regulatory capture, Power, Incumbency, Packaging, circular, economy, EU, LOW-CARBON TRANSITIONS, RENEWABLE ENERGY, POLICY, POLITICS, FRAMEWORK, BUSINESS, IMPACT

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MLA
Yalcin, Nur Gizem, et al. “Packaged Science? Incumbent Strategies of Science Capture from a Power Perspective.” ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS, vol. 54, 2025, doi:10.1016/j.eist.2024.100931.
APA
Yalcin, N. G., Paredis, E., & Jaeger-Erben, M. (2025). Packaged science? Incumbent strategies of science capture from a power perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS, 54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2024.100931
Chicago author-date
Yalcin, Nur Gizem, Erik Paredis, and Melanie Jaeger-Erben. 2025. “Packaged Science? Incumbent Strategies of Science Capture from a Power Perspective.” ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS 54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2024.100931.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Yalcin, Nur Gizem, Erik Paredis, and Melanie Jaeger-Erben. 2025. “Packaged Science? Incumbent Strategies of Science Capture from a Power Perspective.” ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS 54. doi:10.1016/j.eist.2024.100931.
Vancouver
1.
Yalcin NG, Paredis E, Jaeger-Erben M. Packaged science? Incumbent strategies of science capture from a power perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS. 2025;54.
IEEE
[1]
N. G. Yalcin, E. Paredis, and M. Jaeger-Erben, “Packaged science? Incumbent strategies of science capture from a power perspective,” ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS, vol. 54, 2025.
@article{01JE8XPQAN7MT67Z0P1F34SMC0,
  abstract     = {{Transitions to a circular economy in Europe have not accelerated despite being a priority of the Green Deal. One reason behind the slow uptake is the active resistance by incumbent actors. This article explores the case of Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation to uncover resistance and capture strategies of incumbent single-use and takeaway industry actors that succeeded in reducing the ambition of the policy. Building on lobbying databases, and document and media analysis, the article uncovers strategies of using the legitimacy of science to exert influence. It shows how incumbents created doubts about the evidence base and produced their own scientific messaging; presents the ways they legitimised their role as scientific stakeholders in institutional settings; and examines the approach they took to align their interests with the policymakers' expectations. It analyses these strategies from a power perspective to investigate the complexity of capture and to provide a discussion on the mechanisms that reinforce deep-rooted patterns of incumbency.}},
  articleno    = {{100931}},
  author       = {{Yalcin, Nur Gizem and Paredis, Erik and Jaeger-Erben, Melanie}},
  issn         = {{2210-4224}},
  journal      = {{ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS}},
  keywords     = {{Incumbents,Regulatory capture,Power,Incumbency,Packaging,circular,economy,EU,LOW-CARBON TRANSITIONS,RENEWABLE ENERGY,POLICY,POLITICS,FRAMEWORK,BUSINESS,IMPACT}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{16}},
  title        = {{Packaged science? Incumbent strategies of science capture from a power perspective}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2024.100931}},
  volume       = {{54}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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