Environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use: Individual and institutional enablers and barriers

Abstract

The use of disposable takeaway coffee cups is a major environmental problem across the globe. There is an urgent need to gain an understanding of environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use by consumers in order to develop potential solutions to address this significant environmental issue. Prior literature has not specifically addressed the institutional factors that affect consumer behavior in relation to environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use. This paper explores the enablers and barriers that impact the adoption of environment friendly takeaway coffee cups and relates the consumer determinants to broader institutional factors. Based on in-depth interviews and non-participant observations with consumers and relevant stakeholders, this study finds that a change in consumer preference to environment friendly takeaway coffee cups is prompted by environmental messaging and pro-environmental behavior. This needs to be accompanied by broader institutional changes such as providing waste disposal infrastructure and altering monetary incentives for disposing takeaway cups. This study extends the academic literature on environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use by going beyond a consumer focus and incorporating institutional considerations. A holistic policy mix that incorporates individual and institutional factors is suggested in this study, contributing to practice, policy and a sustainable society. • Investigates problem of waste generated by disposable takeaway coffee cups. • Identifies enablers and barriers of environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use. • To encourage environment friendly takeaway coffee cup use, both individual and institutional factors should be considered. • Policies incorporating consumer behavior and institutional changes are urgently needed.