Research Article

Consumer Psychology Driving Factors for the Implementation of Sustainable Circular Economy Packaging

Yu-Yin Chen 1 * , Wan-Chia Wang 2 *
More Detail
1 Department of Radio and Television, Ming Chuan University, Taipei 111, Taiwan2 Department of Advertising and Strategic Marketing, Ming Chuan University, Taipei 111, Taiwan* Corresponding Author
International Journal of Business Studies and Innovation, 6(1), March 2026, 1-14, https://doi.org/10.35745/ijbsi2026v06.01.0001
Submitted: 29 March 2025, Published: 30 March 2026
OPEN ACCESS   3 Views   3 Downloads
Download Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

This study examines the psychological factors influencing consumer adoption of circular packaging within the context of increasing environmental concerns and sustainable consumption. With the proliferation of e-commerce and resulting packaging waste, circular packaging has emerged as a critical sustainable solution. However, its successful implementation depends significantly on consumer acceptance and behavior. Through a mixed-methods approach combining experimental design, focus group interviews, and quantitative surveys, this research investigates how environmental awareness, perceived value, price sensitivity, convenience requirements, and demographic factors shape consumer attitudes and behaviors toward circular packaging. Data from 210 participants revealed that price and convenience significantly impact adoption intentions, with education level moderating environmental awareness and sustainable behaviors. The findings demonstrate that enhancing consumer awareness about environmental benefits while addressing psychological barriers to adoption can substantially increase circular packaging acceptance. This research provides theoretical contributions to understanding consumer psychology in sustainable consumption contexts and practical insights for businesses and policymakers seeking to promote circular economy initiatives.

CITATION (APA)

Chen, Y.-Y., & Wang, W.-C. (2026). Consumer Psychology Driving Factors for the Implementation of Sustainable Circular Economy Packaging. International Journal of Business Studies and Innovation, 6(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.35745/ijbsi2026v06.01.0001

REFERENCES

  1. Ajzen, I. (2020). The theory of planned behavior: Frequently asked questions. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(4), 314–324.
  2. Coelho, P. M., Corona, B., ten Klooster, R., & Worrell, E. (2020). Sustainability of reusable packaging–Current situation and trends. Resources, Conservation & Recycling, 162, 105124.
  3. Geiger, S. M., Fischer, D., & Schrader, U. (2021). Measuring what matters in sustainable consumption: An integrative framework for the selection of relevant behaviors. Sustainable Development, 29(4), 1025–1040.
  4. Guillard, V., Gaucel, S., Fornaciari, C., Angellier-Coussy, H., Buche, P., & Gontard, N. (2022). The next generation of sustainable food packaging is to preserve our environment in a circular economy context. Frontiers in Nutrition, 5, 121.
  5. Herbes, C., Beuthner, C., & Ramme, I. (2022). How consumer attitudes towards packaging materials affect purchasing decisions–A cross-cultural comparative study. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 178, 106074.
  6. Jerzyk, E. (2020). Design and communication of ecological content on sustainable packaging in young consumers' opinions. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 26(3), 177–196.
  7. Joshi, Y., & Rahman, Z. (2019). Consumers' sustainable purchase behavior: Modeling the impact of psychological factors. Ecological Economics, 159, 235–243.
  8. Kardes, F. R., Cronley, M. L., & Cline, T. W. (2022). Consumer behavior (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning.
  9. Ketelsen, M., Janssen, M., & Hamm, U. (2020). Consumers' response to environmentally-friendly food packaging - A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 254, 120123.
  10. Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2022). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (7th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  11. Magnier, L., & Crié, D. (2023). Consumers' perceptions and reactions to sustainable packaging: A systematic review and future research agenda. Journal of Cleaner Production, 382, 135351.
  12. Niero, M., & Kalbar, P. P. (2021). Coupling material circularity indicators and life cycle-based indicators: A proposal to advance the assessment of circular economy strategies at the product level. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105300.
  13. Nyumba, T. O., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J., & Mukherjee, N. (2018). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(1), 20–32.
  14. Pachur, T., & Hertwig, R. (2019). The psychology of consumer choice. In Handbook of Research Methods in Consumer Psychology (pp. 459–484). Routledge.
  15. Park, H. J., & Lin, L. M. (2020). Exploring attitude-behavior gap in sustainable consumption: Comparison of recycled and upcycled fashion products. Journal of Business Research, 117, 623–628.
  16. Prakash, G., & Pathak, P. (2021). Understanding the relationship between environmental consciousness and purchase behavior of eco-friendly products: A study of young Indian consumers. Business Strategy and the Environment, 30(4), 1686–1701.
  17. Singh, P., & Cooper, T. (2021). Towards sustainable consumption: Researching reluctance to reduce resource use. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 20(2), 324–336.
  18. Stewart, D. W., & Shamdasani, P. N. (2021). Focus groups: Theory and practice (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  19. Sun, Y., Liu, D., Chen, S., Wu, X., Shen, X. L., & Zhang, X. (2021). Understanding users' switching behavior of mobile instant messaging applications: An empirical study from the perspective of the push-pull-mooring framework. Computers in Human Behavior, 111, 106289.
  20. Tashakkori, A., & Teddlie, C. (2021). Mixed methodology: Combining qualitative and quantitative approaches (Vol. 46). SAGE Publications.
  21. Vermeir, I., Weijters, B., De Houwer, J., Geuens, M., Slabbinck, H., Spruyt, A., Van Kerckhove, A., Van Lippevelde, W., De Steur, H., & Verbeke, W. (2020). Environmentally sustainable food consumption: A review and research agenda from a goal-directed perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1603.
  22. Wang, Y., & Hazen, B. T. (2022). Consumer value co-creation in social commerce: The role of social support, relationship quality, and privacy concerns. Computers in Human Behavior, 128, 107118.
  23. White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D. J. (2019). How to SHIFT consumer behaviors to be more sustainable: A literature review and guiding framework. Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 22–49.
  24. Wilkerson, J. M., Iantaffi, A., Grey, J. A., Bockting, W. O., & Rosser, B. R. S. (2023). Recommendations for conducting online focus group discussions and virtual research with marginalized communities. Qualitative Health Research, 33(1), 49–61.
  25. Zhang, H., & Zhu, M. (2021). Understanding behavioral intentions toward sustainable products: The role of conscious and unconscious emotional processing. Journal of Cleaner Production, 287, 125575.