Consumer research on bioplastics: A systematic review

Abstract Bioplastics have gained increasing importance in academia and industry. However, a key to market success is consumer acceptance and use of such bioplastics. In this review, we analyze thirty-four papers with a focus on B2C consumer research following the PRISMA protocol. We evaluated the papers quantitatively by using a category system and carried out a qualitative content analysis. Attitudes and values were the most researched consumer-related factors with the clearest effect on consumer behavior, while socio-demographics showed no or little effect. Product-related factors were mostly related to material and its geographic origin, price, and certification. The recommendations from the literature were as follows: educate consumers, raise their awareness, and use labels. The role of policy makers is mainly seen in standard-setting. We call for studies that take a cross-national and cross-product perspective, cover products beyond packaging, include China, India, and other developing countries, use qualitative designs, and make attempts at theory-building.