On 15 and 16 July, as part of the European project Co-Value, two focus groups were held at the Las Atalayas industrial estate in Alicante within the framework of Citizen Engagement for Knowledge Valorisation. These sessions took place in the context of the circular economy and plastics pilot, one of the two pilots of the project, and aimed to explore citizens’ perceptions and proposals regarding the use of plastics and their impact on daily life.

On Tuesday 15, the focus group with young people under 25 was conducted, while on Wednesday 16, the group of participants over 25 took place. Each session involved 12 participants, with equal representation of men and women and diverse socio-demographic profiles, which greatly enriched the discussions and outcomes.

Throughout the activities, participants reflected on the role of plastics in their daily lives, their environmental impact, and possible alternatives within a circular economy approach. The insights gathered will serve as a basis for developing proposals aimed at citizen knowledge valorisation.

The design of the sessions paid special attention to the participant experience, offering a welcome with coffee and refreshments, snacks available during the exercises, and an informal gathering with food at the end, creating a relaxed and open atmosphere for dialogue.

These Citizen Engagement for Knowledge Valorisation activities in Alicante reaffirm Co-Value’s commitment to recognising, valuing, and applying citizen knowledge to address collective challenges such as sustainable resource management and the transition to a circular economy.