An exploratory research on bioplastic use in Nigeria: employing a green nudge approach

Abstract

Bioplastics serve as good alternatives to conventional plastics, but their production and adoption globally remain generally low. This paper sought to determine the consumer preference for bioplastics due to the urgent need for an invention on plastic pollution in Nigeria. This was achieved by employing green nudges on consumers' choice experiments on bioplastic products. The study used a sample size of 327 respondents employing the snowball sampling approach. We discovered that there was high preference heterogeneity among respondents probably due to cultural diversity and attitudinal differences. Moreover, respondents preferred to stick with their preferences instead of opting for a change in their decisions. This may have been because Nigerians are known to be brand loyalists. Our results showed that the Text treatment group thought that bioplastic labels were innovative and useful compared to the control group. This perception was probably because of the concise text on the advantages of bioplastics. We conclude that although respondents were exposed to various green nudges, there was little effect of the green nudges on their purchasing decisions. We recommend that further studies be carried out to understand why price effect was not effective in Nigeria against theory and as compared to developed countries.