Windows of opportunity: The power dynamics in the disposable nappy regime and opportunities for niche innovations

Abstract

This paper studies niche-regime dynamics in sustainability transitions in the disposable nappy industry in Australia. Disposable nappies generate a disproportionate amount of plastic waste relative to the per capita usage of the product. In the 60 years since disposable nappies were introduced into the market, niche innovators attempting to offer more sustainable solutions have been unable to challenge the dominant market position of disposable nappies. Little attention has been paid to the dynamics of this industry despite the growing plastic waste crisis and the emergence of new niche innovations.

In this study, we apply the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) to the disposable nappy category for the first time. We adopt the “windows of opportunity” framework that sits within MLP to understand niche-regime dynamics in the nappy industry. The findings of this study revealed several significant barriers that niche nappy innovators need to overcome to destabilise regime-level actors and become mainstream. Achieving price parity and matching performance and convenience are the most significant factors. A new policy intervention in the Australian state of New South Wales banning the inclusion of compostable biofilms in household Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) waste collections also poses an immediate regulatory barrier.