Bioplastics in the Basket : A Hybrid Framework for Understanding the Adoption of Bioplastic Food Packaging

This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of factors influencing consumers' choice of biodegradable and compostable food packaging by a hybrid framework that integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior with a Discrete Choice Experiment. By analyzing the interplay between personal factors, behavioral psychological constructs, and rational consumer evaluation, the research makes clear that consumer choices are, rather than based on either economic models or behavioral psychology, better represented by a combination of these two elements offering an accurate representation of the driving forces behind consumer’s decisions. By applying a latent class analysis, we identify distinct consumer segments based on packaging preferences for packaged salad, accurate knowledge of waste disposal rules, and psychological characteristics of a statistical representative sample of Italian consumers. The innovative integration of a complete behavioral model in this study allows for the identification of psychological determinants that influence consumer behavior, thereby outlining a detailed profile of early adopters. The current research contributes to the growing body of literature on sustainable packaging choices and offer valuable insights for marketers and policymakers for promoting the sustainable packaging adoption