Reusable takeaway packaging: What stimuli increases the consumer’s willingness to use reusable packages?
(A2024-119910)

AUTHORS

Raquel Meneses, University of Porto; Susana Silva, Universidade Católica Portuguesa VAT 501082522; Paulo Duarte, Universidade da Beira Interior; FRancisca Correia, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

ABSTRACT

There is a growing need to move towards a circular economy, reducing the amount of packaging, waste generated and adopting more environmentally responsible practices. The main objective of this study is to understand what incentives/stimuli may influence consumer willingness to use reusable packaging when purchasing meals from takeaway services. Thus, stimuli such as social influence, habit formation, misevaluation guilt, ethical and sustainability guilt, environmental cognition and feelings of fear, guilt, sadness, joy, pride, and hope, identified as ways to encourage this sustainable behaviour and thus analysed. An online questionnaire was created, and a conceptual model was subsequently tested using data obtained from the 258 participants thou structural equation model. Fear appears as significant when it comes to increasing consumer willingness to use reusable packaging in takeaway services. Additionally, when consumers feel guilt over a poor purchase decision, they will feel sad. As a major concern today is ensuring consumers opt for more sustainable behaviours, this study contributes to understanding which stimuli can increase those behaviours and which may not be so successful.