The Influence of Recycled Packaging for Food Products on Consumer Behavior

Abstract

Extensive efforts by both government and private sectors to make the use of recycled packaging in food products more prevalent have not always been successful, partly due to a limited understanding of consumers' complex perceptions towards this practice. In this research, we explore whether recycled food product packaging enhances the appeal of food products, as well as the boundary condition and underlying mechanism of this effect. Using three experimental studies, we find that marketing efforts highlighting the use of recycled packaging can be beneficial, but only for utilitarian food products, not for hedonic ones. We also identify the warm-glow effect as a key mediating mechanism. This study uniquely contributes to the literature by not only examining the differential effects of recycled packaging but also identifying the warm-glow effect as a key mediating mechanism. Our findings contribute a more nuanced perspective to the literature on sustainable consumption and provide practical implications for enhancing the effectiveness of recycled food product packaging.