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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Consumers’ perceptions and willingness to pay for a hypothetical microplastics-free labelled bottled water: an empirical study in Italy
ClearCan we shop ourselves to a clean sea? An experimental panel approach to assess the persuasiveness of private labels as a private governance approach to microplastic pollution
An experimental consumer survey in Norway, Germany, and Portugal found that people are willing to pay a premium for products certified as microplastic-free, suggesting that private certification schemes could be an effective market-based tool for reducing microplastic pollution. However, willingness to pay was influenced by country, trust in certifiers, and how the certification was framed.
Nudging consumers about the issue of microplastics: an experimental auction study on valuation for sustainable food packaging
Researchers used an experimental auction to study whether informing consumers about microplastic pollution changes how much they are willing to pay for sustainable food packaging. They found that consumers offered significantly more for pasta products packaged in biodegradable materials with environmental footprint labels, especially after learning about microplastic risks. The study suggests that transparent labeling combined with consumer education could be an effective way to shift purchasing behavior toward more sustainable options.
Microplastics in seafood: Consumer preferences and valuation for mitigation technologies
A consumer survey in Chile found that people were willing to pay about US$4 extra for mussels certified to have 90% lower microplastic content, and informing consumers about health risks increased that price premium by 56%. This signals a market opening for microplastic mitigation technologies in seafood and highlights how public awareness of health risks can drive demand for cleaner food products.
Environmental Attitudes and Consumer Preference for Environmentally-friendly Beverage Packaging: the Role of Information Provision and Identity Labeling in Influencing Consumer Behavior
Researchers found that consumers are willing to pay a premium for beverages in environmentally friendly packaging made from post-consumer recycled materials, with environmental information labels and green identity claims having synergistic effects on willingness to pay.
Microplastics in seafood: Consumer preferences and valuation for mitigation technologies
A consumer study in Chile found that people were willing to pay significantly more for mussels certified to have reduced microplastic contamination, with information about health risks increasing willingness to pay by 56%. However, combined health and environmental information also made some consumers less likely to buy mussels at all, suggesting that microplastic awareness could reduce seafood consumption. These findings highlight the economic importance of developing microplastic mitigation technologies for the seafood industry.
Mi̇kroplasti̇klere Yöneli̇k Tüketi̇ci̇ Tepki̇leri̇: Bi̇r Uluslararasi Pazar Araştirmasi
Researchers investigated consumer attitudes toward products containing microplastics and their effects on social responsibility, purchase intention, and sustainable consumption intention among 93 participants in Austria using structural equation modeling. The findings link consumer awareness of microplastic content to measurable shifts in purchasing behavior and sustainability-oriented intentions.
Preferences for microplastic marine pollution management strategies: An analysis of barriers and enablers for more sustainable choices
This survey-based study examined Australian consumers' preferences for microplastic marine pollution management strategies, finding that cost and product trust are key barriers to adopting lower-microplastic products, and that willingness to pay for marine protection has limits.
Filling Discrepancies between Consumer Perception and Actual Piped Water Quality to Promote the Potable Use of the Municipal Water Supply in Indonesia
This paper is not about environmental microplastics in an ecological or health context; it studies consumer trust and drinking water preferences in Indonesian cities to encourage tap water use over bottled water, with the plastic waste angle being secondary and policy-focused rather than scientific.
Public Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Consumption: Case of Bioplastic Medical Masks
This paper is not relevant to microplastics research; it uses a discrete choice experiment to measure consumers' willingness to pay for bioplastic medical masks, focusing on sustainable purchasing behavior rather than microplastic pollution science.
Perceptions about potential microplastic interventions: a study on knowledge, concerns, and willingness to pay
Researchers surveyed Oregon residents about microplastic pollution and found that fewer than 25% were willing to pay full price for washing machine filters that capture plastic microfibers before they reach waterways, suggesting that government subsidies and targeted outreach to early adopters may be needed to scale up this promising pollution prevention tool.
Analysis of intention to purchase environmentally friendly packaging in the city of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
Despite its title referencing environmentally friendly packaging, this paper is a consumer behavior survey studying what factors drive Brazilians to intend to buy eco-friendly packaging — not original research on microplastic pollution or its effects. It examines environmental concern and personal values as predictors of purchasing decisions and is not directly relevant to microplastic contamination or human health.
Early screening of suspected microplastics in bottled water in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile
Researchers screened multiple brands of bottled water sold in Santiago, Chile, for microplastic contamination using fluorescence microscopy. They detected suspected microplastic particles in all tested brands, with concentrations varying significantly between products. The findings add to growing global evidence that bottled water, often perceived as a cleaner alternative to tap water, may be a meaningful source of human microplastic exposure.
Drivers of green purchasing behaviour: a systematic review and a research agenda
This systematic review of 41 studies found that environmental concern, health consciousness, social influence, and perceived value are the strongest drivers of green purchasing behavior. While not directly about microplastics, the findings are relevant to understanding what motivates consumers to choose plastic-free or reduced-plastic products.
The Impacts of Environmental Knowledge on Aqua Product Purchase: The Role of Environmental Concerns
Researchers examined how environmental knowledge and environmental concerns influence bottled water purchasing behavior among residents of Bandung, Indonesia, focusing on the Aqua brand as a proxy for plastic-packaged aqua products. Results indicate that stronger environmental awareness correlates with altered purchase decisions, highlighting the role of consumer education in reducing plastic consumption.
Everyday storage and handling of PET bottled water increase human exposure to nano- and microplastics: Influence of socio-economic factors
Researchers tested eight major U.S. bottled water brands and found that everyday conditions like heat exposure and shaking dramatically increased nano- and microplastic release from PET bottles, with nanoparticle concentrations rising over ninefold under combined heat and agitation. A survey of over 1,600 people in Nebraska revealed that higher awareness of microplastics and education levels correlated with behaviors that reduce exposure, such as avoiding bottled water storage in hot conditions.
Microplastic in Food and Water: Current Knowledge and Awareness of Consumers
This study surveyed 410 highly educated young consumers and found that while awareness of microplastics in food and water is growing, significant knowledge gaps remain about contamination sources, exposure levels, and associated health risks.
Is the public really concerned about microplastics? The importance of measuring everyday relevance and behavioral intentions as well as stated concern
Researchers surveyed over 2,200 citizens in Germany and Italy to examine whether public concern about microplastics translates into everyday relevance and behavioral change. While stated concern was high in both countries, most people reported thinking or talking about microplastics only rarely, though they still expressed willingness to take action to reduce exposure. The study found that both stated concern and everyday relevance mediated the link between knowledge about microplastics and intentions to change behavior.
Level of Awareness and Attitudes towards Plastic Contamination by Students of an Italian University
A survey of 220 Italian university students found significant gaps in awareness about micro- and nanoplastic contamination, with many not connecting everyday behaviors to plastic pollution despite science-oriented backgrounds.
Assessment of Risk Perception on Microplastics Pollution in Drinking Water Sources
Researchers surveyed higher education students to assess their risk perception of microplastic pollution in drinking water sources and measured relationships between perception, concern, and behavioral intention to reduce plastic use. The study aimed to identify knowledge gaps and inform awareness campaigns targeting informed plastic reduction behavior among young adults.
Explicitly and Implicitly Measured Valence and Risk Attitudes Towards Plastic Packaging, Plastic Waste, and Microplastic in a German Sample
This psychology study measured both explicit and implicit attitudes toward plastic packaging and microplastics in German consumers, finding that people simultaneously appreciate the convenience of plastic while expressing concern about pollution. The gap between attitudes and behavior helps explain why plastic consumption continues despite public concern about microplastics.
Assessing exposure of the Australian population to microplastics through bottled water consumption
Researchers analyzed 16 brands of bottled water sold in Australia and found microplastics present across all samples tested. The study identified polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene particles, with concentrations varying between brands and water sources. The findings provide the first assessment of microplastic exposure through bottled water consumption for the Australian population and raise questions about the safety of this common drinking water source.
Greater willingness to reduce microplastics consumption in Mexico than in Spain supports the importance of legislation on the use of plastics
Researchers found that consumers in Mexico showed greater willingness to reduce microplastic consumption than those in Spain, and that unclear microbead labeling was the primary barrier to informed purchasing, suggesting stricter plastic legislation and corporate labeling requirements could meaningfully reduce microplastic exposure.
Green Marketing, Lifestyle, and the Purchase Intention of Bottled Water among Generation Z
This study analyzed how green marketing and lifestyle factors influence Generation Z consumers' intention to purchase bottled water. Bottled water is a major source of microplastic exposure, as plastic bottles shed particles into the liquid inside over time.
First assessment of occurrence, characteristics and human exposure of microplastics in bottled drinking water, Nepal
Researchers conducted the first assessment of microplastics in bottled drinking water from Nepal's mountain, hill, and Terai regions, finding microplastics in all 35 samples tested (mean 118 items/L), with fiber-shaped particles dominating at 71.76%, establishing a baseline for this developing-country context.