• search hit 4 of 25
Back to Result List

Reducing single-use plastic in everyday social practices: Insights from a living lab experiment

  • Plastic is ubiquitous in everyday social practices, and few consumer activities do not involve its direct or indirect use. Single-use plastic (SUP) based on fossil fuels is particularly problematic, as it seems virtually unavoidable, especially in everyday products, from plastic wrapping cucumbers to shampoo bottles. Although reducing SUP is crucial, there is little evidence of achieving this in everyday social practices. This paper examines the practicality of reducing SUP and consumer frustration. We studied the social practices of 20 adults using diary records and workshops over the course of two weeks. Our findings suggest that everyday practices shape SUP use, and reducing it disrupts daily life, even for eco-conscious consumers. Packaging-free shops are a popular approach to reducing SUP. However, consumers are hindered from using this alternative by limited availability, convenience and product variety. Future research should explore the seamless integration of alternatives to reduce SUP into everyday social practices.

Export metadata

Additional Services

Search Google Scholar
Metadaten
Author: Mubarik Kassim RabiuORCiD, Melanie Jaeger-ErbenORCiD
URL:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921344923004378
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107303
ISSN:0921-3449
Title of the source (English):Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Document Type:Scientific journal article peer-reviewed
Language:English
Year of publication:2024
Tag:Consumption; Diary study; Everyday practices; Plastic avoidance; Reduce; Single-use plastic
Volume/Year:200
EU-Project number / Contract (GA) number:859885
Article number:107303
Fundername (EU):MSCA Horizon 2020
Way of publication:Open Access
Faculty/Chair:Fakultät 5 Wirtschaft, Recht und Gesellschaft / FG Technik- und Umweltsoziologie
Einverstanden ✔
Diese Webseite verwendet technisch erforderliche Session-Cookies. Durch die weitere Nutzung der Webseite stimmen Sie diesem zu. Unsere Datenschutzerklärung finden Sie hier.