This master's thesis explores the everyday environmentally friendly behaviour of individuals in the context of consumption and avoidance of single-use plastic packaging. One of the solutions for the problematic accumulation of plastics in the natural environment is voluntary behavioural change among consumers, focused on reducing their consumption of single-use plastic packaging where possible. Despite high awareness of negative impacts of plastic packaging on the environment, individuals continue with its use, since the barriers they perceive are so high, they do not see appropriate incentives for behavioural change. In order to find opportunities to support behaviours associated with reducing the consumption of single-use plastic packaging, we investigated specific motivational and contextual factors influencing the consumption of single-use plastic packaging among young consumers. Using the focus group method, we identified attitudes, behaviours and perceived barriers and incentives to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic packaging. The results show that the participants have strong reservations about the behaviours related to the avoidance of single-use plastic packaging, mainly because of the negative assessment of alternatives to plastic packaging, the unavailability and inconvenience of the alternatives and the diffusion of responsibility for the problem of plastic. Based on the data obtained, we formulated proposals on how to encourage individuals to reduce their consumption of single-use plastic packaging by using the social marketing approach.
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