ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF PROVIDING INFORMATION ON MARINE PLASTIC ISSUES ON THE CONSENT TO ABOLISHING PLASTIC BAGS AND STRAWS

Abstract

 Impacts of providing information on marine plastic issues on the consent to abolishing plastic bags at supermarkets/convenience stores and plastic straws were evaluated via a consumer survey throughout Japan.The result shows that consumers who agree to abolish plastic straws but disagree to abolish plastic bags in convenience stores, and have a high awareness of environmental issues have turn to agree to abolish plastic bags by providing information. Providing information could not change the attitude of consumers who disagree to abolish both plastic bags and plastic straws, but help to mitigate their awarenesses that the lack of a plastic bag is inconvenient and carrying a shopping bag is bothersome.

 However, consumers have selected and processed privided information according to their preferences to the abolition of provision of shopping bags and straws. For equalizing the level of comsumers' comprehension of information, it is necessary to provide information in which the causal relationship among factors related to the marine plastic problem was shown so that it is not decoupled.