Single-use plastic packaging in the Canadian food industry: consumer behavior and perceptions

• DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00747-4
• Publication Date: 2021-03-17T11:02:47Z
• Authors: Tony R. Walker; Eamonn McGuinty; Sylvain Charlebois; Janet Music
• Keywords: Single use; Plastic packaging; Consumer behaviour

Abstract Single-use plastic food packaging is a major contributor to the global solid waste problem. Although industry developing strategies reduce single-use packaging, it needs better understand consumer awareness and attitudes about issue. As outpaces private sector practices, this study considered personal motivation factors, government policies, innovative solutions related packaging. This Canada-wide surveyed 1014 consumers their willingness pay premiums for sustainable alternatives motivations waste. Overwhelmingly, most (93.7%) respondents were personally motivated consumption of Canadians highly but less willing alternatives. While environmental concerns more critical than safety, acknowledged that desirable outright bag bans, despite not them. Using approaches consider multiple driving factors on behavior opinions towards use limitations, recommendations future research are proposed.