Why consumers shift from single-use to reusable drink cups: An empirical application of the stage model of self-regulated behavioural change

Abstract

Using single-use drink cups contributes to environmental issues like littering, resource depletion, and carbon dioxide emissions and thus comes into conflict with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There are reusable alternatives to such single-use cups available to the general public, but uptake has so far been limited. To explain what factors are associated with using single-use cup alternatives, we apply the stage model of self-regulated behavioural change in a cross-sectional questionnaire study, N = 573. We investigated three single-use cup alternatives: a refundable cup system, bringing one's own cup, and reducing one's consumption of hot beverages on the go. According to the model, behavioural change occurs in four stages: predecisional, preactional, actional, and postactional. An individual requires stage-specific information and needs to make stage-specific decisions to progress towards sustained behavioural change. The results of our study showed which factors were associated with consumers’ shifts from single-use cups use to each of the alternatives and which factors need to be targeted to advance individuals to the next stage of change. We found that a chain of increased awareness, responsibility, and negative emotions, complemented by social norms, positive emotions, and goal feasibility, was associated with an increased intention to change away from single-use cups. The choice of a behavioural alternative was most strongly associated with the perceived control over the behaviour. Based on these results, we derive recommendations for practitioners on which levers to use to effectively reduce the use of single-use cups.

How environmental gain messages affect cause involvement, attitude and behavioural intentions: the moderating effects of CSR scepticism and biospheric values

“…Managerial implications also emerge from this research in which the environmental cause is the adoption of RCCs to avoid environmental issues like littering, resource depletion and carbon dioxide emissions, and, thus, is in conflict with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Keller et al. , 2021).…”

“…Managerial implications also emerge from this research in which the environmental cause is the adoption of RCCs to avoid environmental issues like littering, resource depletion and carbon dioxide emissions, and, thus, is in conflict with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Keller et al, 2021). First, it is reassuring that higher levels of cause involvement lead to higher levels of positive attitudes and behavioural intentions towards the cause (i.e.…”

Beyond one size fits all? An experimental study of the effects of stage‐specific interventions to promote ecological online food shopping

“…Measures are needed to effectively promote more sustainable customer behaviour. However, before such measures become reality, research is still required, and interventions that use phase‐specific concepts need to be tested experimentally in the field (Gelino et al, 2021; Keller et al, 2021; Lange & Dewitte, 2019). While in our opinion there would be numerous opportunities to systematically test subtle measures in real‐life settings with high external validity, unfortunately no real online store operators were willing to be partners for the experiment.…”

Single use plastic usage in the Maldives: Knowledge, practice and attitude

“…A study on SUPs consumption has revealed that some people favor attitudes towards SUPs and consume them equally, some are potential avoiders who sometimes consume and sometimes avoid SUPs and avoiders who avoid consumption of SUPs (Adam et al, 2021). For selfregulated behavioral change in consumption of SUPs require awareness, negative emotions and individuals responsibility on social norms (Keller et al, 2021). The behavior of an individual on use of SUPs has four stages; predecisonal, preactional, actional and postactional.…”

“…The behavior of an individual on use of SUPs has four stages; predecisonal, preactional, actional and postactional. A person require awareness and knowledge in each stage and require to make decision as per the stages (Keller et al, 2021). The selfregulated behavior change is proposed to enhance the reduction of plastic pollution (Adam et al, 2021).…”