From niche support to system building—Perceptions of the transformation potential of policy measures on packaging reuse

•The transformative potential of packaging reuse policies is seen as weak in Finland.•Policy mix should entail innovation, creative destruction and system building instruments.•Tensions between instruments may challenge transformative potential of a policy mix.•Improving the directionality and alignment of reuse and recycling policies is vital. Reuse is suggested as a strategy to reduce mounting single-use packaging consumption and the related pollution. In this exploratory study, we investigated how governance can create conditions for the uptake of reusable food packaging in Finland when phasing out the existing single use system is not viable. We identified policy instruments addressing packaging reuse and analyzed how key stakeholders perceive the ability of these instruments to induce systemic change. The results indicate that the current policy mix entails mainly niche support measures and that its transformational power is relatively weak; to strengthen it, further measures on single use regime destabilization should be jointly implemented with reuse system building and niche support. However, addressing all three simultaneously may create tensions between different instruments within a policy mix or between policy mixes targeting separate goals. This requires paying more attention to directionality, policy coherence, consistence, and congruence when designing transformative policy mixes.