Effect of Levy Framing on Reducing Plastic Bag Consumption

In the face of mounting environmental concerns over plastic waste, numerous initiatives have been launched to curb plastic bag usage. One such initiative is the plastic bag levy, a tax imposed on consumers for requesting disposable plastic bags at retail outlets. However, research indicates that while the levy initially showed success, the consumption of plastic bags rebounded over time, suggesting that this approach may not be as effective as initially hoped (Dikgang et al. 2012).

This research proposes an actionable way to improve the effectiveness of plastic bag levy. It examines the effect of framing plastic bag levy as a penalty versus a cost on reducing plastic bag usage intention. It also identifies the underlying roles of guilt and justification in driving the effect as well as the boundary condition of damage salience about plastic bags.