This has already been used! A paradigm to measure the point at which people become unwilling to use reusable containers

Abstract

Reusing packaging and containers can significantly reduce plastic waste, yet little research has considered whether people are willing to reuse containers, especially as they start to show signs of use. The present research developed a novel method for identifying how worn or dirty a container needs to be before people become unwilling to reuse it and demonstrates how this paradigm can be used to investigate factors that might influence people's willingness to reuse that container. Across four studies, we recruited University staff and students or members of the local and online community and asked them to complete a variation of our paradigm designed to measure their willingness to reuse containers, followed by self-report measures of disgust, concerns about disease, and pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. The findings demonstrate that: (i) the paradigm can identify the point at which people deem a container unacceptable for reuse, (ii) there is substantial variation in people's thresholds, and (iii) variation can be explained, in part, by individual differences (e.g., feelings of disgust) and contextual factors. This paradigm provides the basis for a scientific study of psychological, physical, and environmental factors that are crucial to the success of reuse models and ultimately, reducing plastic waste.