Influences on single-use and reusable cup use: a multidisciplinary mixed-methods approach to designing interventions reducing plastic waste

Abstract

An estimated 2.5–5 billion single-use coffee cups are disposed of annually in the UK, most of which consist of paper with a plastic lining. Due to the difficulty of recycling poly-coated material, most of these cups end up incinerated or put in landfills. As drinking (take-away) hot beverages is a behaviour, behaviour change interventions are necessary to reduce the environmental impacts of single-use coffee cup waste. Basing the design of interventions on a theoretical understanding of behaviour increases the transparency of the development process, the likelihood that the desired changes in behaviour will occur and the potential to synthesise findings across studies. The present paper presents a methodology for identifying influences on using single-use and reusable cups as a basis for designing intervention strategies. Two behaviour change frameworks: The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COMB) model of behaviour, were used to develop an online survey and follow-up interviews. Research findings can inform the selection of intervention strategies using a third framework, the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW). The application of the methodology is illustrated in relation to understanding barriers and enablers to single-use and reusable cup use across the setting of a London university campus. We have developed a detailed method for identifying behavioural influences relevant to pro-environmental behaviours, together with practical guidance for each step and a worked example. Benefits of this work include it providing guidance on developing study materials and collecting and analysing data. We offer this methodology to the intervention development and implementation community to assist in the application of behaviour change theory to interventions.

Barriers and Enablers to Food Waste Recycling: A Mixed Methods Study amongst UK Citizens

“…A survey, hosted by Qualtrics [ 51 ] was developed in line with guidance for using COM-B and TDF in implementation research [ 39 , 52 ]. We developed a preliminary set of survey items from a prior survey investigating barriers and enablers to single-use and reusable cup use [ 39 ].…”

“…A survey, hosted by Qualtrics [ 51 ] was developed in line with guidance for using COM-B and TDF in implementation research [ 39 , 52 ]. We developed a preliminary set of survey items from a prior survey investigating barriers and enablers to single-use and reusable cup use [ 39 ]. The survey went through two rounds of paper piloting: once through a team of behavioural science experts and second, through an interdisciplinary team of circular economy researchers with non-behavioural science expertise.…”

“…While these frameworks have been mostly applied in patient and healthcare professional populations [25,[29][30][31][32][33][34], they have also been applied to understanding and changing a range of environmentally-and socially-significant target behaviours such as: recycling [35], water consumption [36], reusable face-mask use [37], plastic packaging consumption [38,39], fuel-stacking [40], higher-welfare food choice [41], data leakage in financial organisations [42] and participation in citizen science [43]. While these frameworks have been mostly applied in patient and healthcare professional populations [25,[29][30][31][32][33][34], they have also been applied to understanding and changing a range of environmentally-and socially-significant target behaviours such as: recycling [35], water consumption [36], reusable face-mask use [37], plastic packaging consumption [38,39], fuel-stacking [40], higher-welfare food choice [41], data leakage in financial organisations [42] and participation in citizen science [43].…”

“…While these frameworks have been mostly applied in patient and healthcare professional populations [ 25 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], they have also been applied to understanding and changing a range of environmentally- and socially-significant target behaviours such as: recycling [ 35 ], water consumption [ 36 ], reusable face-mask use [ 37 ], plastic packaging consumption [ 38 , 39 ], fuel-stacking [ 40 ], higher-welfare food choice [ 41 ], data leakage in financial organisations [ 42 ] and participation in citizen science [ 43 ].…”

Improving compostable plastic disposal: An application of the Behaviour Change Wheel intervention development method

“…There is therefore great value in illustrating the Behavior Change Wheel's application in the present context. Of the few studies in this area, the Behavior Change Wheel has been shown to be a valuable tool for designing interventions targeting recycling (Allison et al, 2022) and reuse (Allison et al, 2021b). It has also been used in behavior change intervention development guides for local and national (England PH, 2020) government and partners therefore making it an appropriate and useful framework for the design of the present intervention.…”