Consumers' knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding bioplastics: Evidence from a survey in Japan

Bioplastics are potential alternatives to conventional plastics because of their renewable and degradable characteristics. Although governments and industries have been promoting the adoption of bioplastics, consumer acceptance remains challenging for broader market penetration. This study aims to understand consumers' knowledge, perceptions, and preferences regarding bioplastics through an online survey in Japan. Cellulose nanofibre (CNF), an emerging plant-derived material, was used as a case to examine consumers' willingness to purchase bioplastic products. A binary logistic model was also applied to determine the personal attributes influencing consumers' intention to adopt bioplastic products. The findings revealed that (1) most respondents were unfamiliar with the term ‘bioplastics’ and held a biased understanding of their properties; (2) products with no direct skin contact, such as inks, shoes, and wrapping film, were more readily accepted; the products with skin contact or food additives, such as diapers, cosmetics, and sweets, were least accepted. (3) the willingness to purchase bioplastic products was positively influenced by environmental concerns (75.9 %), knowledge of bioplastics (69.2 %), preference for domestic materials (39.6 %), innovativeness of changing to green behaviour (35.3 %), attitudes towards plastics (33.7 %), policy awareness (32.7 %), and income (27.4 %). This study contributes to understanding the Japanese consumers' perspectives regarding bioplastics, which is a critical missing piece when tailoring a comprehensive policy for sustainable production and consumption of bioplastics.