Abstract
Single-use plastic food packaging is a major contributor to the global solid waste problem. Although the food industry is developing strategies to reduce single-use plastic packaging, it needs to better understand consumer awareness and attitudes about the issue. As consumer awareness about single-use plastic waste outpaces private sector practices, this study considered personal motivation factors, government policies, and innovative solutions related to single-use plastic food packaging. This Canada-wide study surveyed 1014 consumers and their willingness to pay premiums for sustainable food packaging alternatives and motivations to reduce single-use plastic waste. Overwhelmingly, most (93.7%) respondents were personally motivated to reduce consumption of single-use plastic food packaging. Canadians were highly motivated to reduce single-use plastic food packaging, but less willing to pay for sustainable alternatives. While environmental concerns were more critical than food safety, Canadians acknowledged that sustainable packaging alternatives were more desirable than outright plastic bag bans, despite not willing to pay for them. Using approaches that consider multiple driving factors on consumer behavior and opinions towards use of single-use plastic food packaging, limitations, recommendations and future research are proposed.
Highlights
Consumption of single-use plastics has been identified as a global environmental pollution crisis (UNEP, 2018)
Since creation of plastic polymers in the 1950s, single-use plastic production, use and mismanagement has resulted in devastating impacts on marine, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (UNEP, 2014, 2018)
That same convenience was linked to the single-use plastic packaging issue faced in the Canadian food industry: consumers want selection and variety, but plastic packaging provides product safety and longevity
Summary
Consumption of single-use plastics has been identified as a global environmental pollution crisis (UNEP, 2018). Plastics have become entrenched in day-to-day lives in everything humans do. The global plastics production volume has doubled every decade (Geyer et al, 2017). Since creation of plastic polymers in the 1950s, single-use plastic production, use and mismanagement has resulted in devastating impacts on marine, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (UNEP, 2014, 2018). From bags to food containers, plastics are omnipresent in society and many experts are concerned about the impact of plastic on ecosystem and human health (Worm et al, 2017; Karbalaei et al, 2018). Addressing global environmental threats of single-use plastics requires government regulation, business innovation, and individual behavior change for cleaner production and potential environmental and economic benefits
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