The perception and behaviors of housewives in reducing the use of single-use plastic bags: A case study of Central coastal provinces

Abstract

This paper uses a detailed questionnaire to interview 250 housewives in
three coastal cities including Nha Trang, Da Nang, and Dong Hoi. Quota samples are selected
based on gender and age characteristics. The study utilizes qualitative method to develop
scales and quantitative methods to analyze scale reliability, exploratory factors, and structural
equation modeling (SEM). Research results indicate that six of seven research hypotheses are
agreed and supported. In particular, the attitude towards environmental protection has the
most decisive influence on behavioral intention to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags,
followed by other factors including moral obligations and the awareness of adverse effects
of plastic bags on health. The findings help industry managers and local authorities enhance
education for housewives to further improve their positive attitudes towards environmental
protection and behavioral intentions to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags in the future.