Shades of Sustainability: Who are the Buyers and Non-buyers of Sustainable Packaging?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Plastic packaging has a destructive impact on the environment, and it is crucial to understand consumer response to plastic substitutes. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of sustainable lifestyles on the willingness to buy two types of packaging, sustainable and edible packaging, along with barriers to purchase. An online survey was conducted with 477 Australian consumers. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Out of the three lifestyle segments identified through cluster analysis, two segments are willing to buy edible packaging. Perceived dispersed responsibility to protect the environment is a psycho-social factor influencing purchase intentions. Willingness to buy sustainable packaging is positively related to familiarity with the sustainable packaging format and willingness to buy is negatively related to functional barriers. Different lifestyle segments respond to edible packaging in different ways. This study makes an important contribution to the marketing literature given the scarcity of studies on sustainable lifestyle segmentation. The study has implications for business managers who wish to acquire competitive advantage through packaging and niche marketing.