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Breaking the bag habit: Testing interventions to reduce plastic bag demand

Author

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  • Antinyan, Armenak
  • Corazzini, Luca

Abstract

In a natural field experiment conducted in a big grocery chain in Armenia, we test the impact of demand-side behavioral (an environmental nudge) and conventional (financial bonus scheme) policies to curb the purchase of single-use plastic bags. We find that both interventions are effective to reduce the demand for single-use plastic bags. Furthermore, the financial bonus scheme is more powerful than the environmental nudge. However, the financial bonus scheme backfires in the sense that it reduces the visits to the grocery chain resulting in less money spent by an average customer unlike the environmental nudge. We also study, whether customers use the reusable bags received for free and how to motivate them to do so. The findings suggest a strong correlation between reusable bag usage and shopping frequency. While many customers use the bag only once, the more frequent the shopping behavior the higher the usage of the reusable bags. Lastly, financial incentives matter for reusable bag usage.

Suggested Citation

  • Antinyan, Armenak & Corazzini, Luca, 2025. "Breaking the bag habit: Testing interventions to reduce plastic bag demand," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:228:y:2025:i:c:s0921800924003513
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108454
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pro-environmental behavior; Nudge; Financial bonus; Reusable bag; Single-use plastic bag; Randomized controlled trial;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies

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