Are you still buying or already sharing? An analysis of the potential and limitations of sharing economy concepts in the city of Bern

Growing concerns about climate change, resource depletion, and social injustice demonstrate the urgent need for change in today’s consumer-driven society. Over the past few years, there has been a growing fascination with the phenomenon of the sharing economy. This trend challenges traditional economic models by presenting a novel way of thinking, where people prefer access over ownership (Grybaitė & Stankevičienė, 2016, p. 7). While the sharing economy is gaining popularity around the world, there is still a scarcity of studies focused on the Swiss market, particularly within individual cities. The objective of this thesis was therefore to get an overview of the current state in Bern and to investigate the potential and limitations of the sharing economy in the city. The work is built upon the following research questions: “What is the current state of the sharing economy in the city of Bern?” and “What are the barriers and motives observed in sharing?”. A quantitative research method with an online survey was conducted. By examining the existing sharing offers, the level of awareness, the motives and the barriers for users, the aim was to create an understanding of the current consumer attitudes and behavior towards the sharing economy and to identify which sharing offers have more potential. This was done to provide valuable insights for companies and institutions in Bern. The study identified a diverse sharing economy landscape in Bern, with car sharing dominating and limited availability of sharing offers for everyday clothes and furniture. While participants were familiar with the concept, awareness of specific offerings was limited, particularly in non-mobility categories. Actual usage of sharing offers was low and primarily focused on mobility. Environmental and economic factors were identified as the main motives, with flexibility and sustainability being key considerations. Barriers to participation included concerns about availability, quality, transaction costs, and effort required. Individuals valuing sustainability demonstrated higher awareness, usage, and willingness to share. Willingness to share varied across product categories and indicated an untapped potential for tools. However, willingness and supply were low for everyday clothing and furniture, suggesting limitations in these categories. Raising awareness and addressing barriers are important for the sharing economy's growth potential. Future research should explore how barriers and motives differ across various product categories to enhance the utilization of sharing offers. In addition, exploring the B2C sector may reveal disparities in motives and barriers compared to P2P offerings. Moreover, future studies could examine the potential gap between attitudes and behaviors in the sharing economy.