(Exploring The Consumer Responses to Plastic Bag Fee in Turkey)

Abstract

Purpose – Direct and indirect destructive impacts of consumption patterns signal a need for an urgent change of unsustainable consumer behaviors. At this point, governments use some political intervention to courage behavioral change. One example is the plastic bag fee that is used in some countries to reduce the usage of lightweight plastic bags and that will be valid in 2019 in Turkey as well. Behavioral and attitudinal public support is a crucial factor for the efficiency of the intervention. In this context, the purpose of this research is to explore the consumers’ initial responses to plastic bag fee as a policy intervention and factors that fuel the attitudinal resistance to it. Design/methodology/approach – The research is exploratory in its nature and built on the bases of in-depth interviews held with 20 consumers with different demographic characteristics. Findings – Results showed that the intervention has a high potential for reducing plastic bag usage. However, consumers have some concerns which hinder their attitudinal support for the intervention. Discussion – Actions needed for enabling attitudinal support and maximum efficiency of the intervention are discussed.