Are the voluntary waste prevention programs of retail stores effective?
2016
Usui, T. (Soka University, Hachioji-city, Tokyo (Japan)) | Tasaki, T.
Prevention of packaging waste has been an issue of high-priority in waste management for Japan as well as for other countries. Not only producers and consumers but also retailers play an important role in waste prevention. Until now, no study had comprehensively evaluated retailers' actions regarding waste prevention. We examined the effectiveness of retailers' voluntary programs using five-year panel data on the quantity of packaging used by convenience stores and supermarkets and the actions they implemented to prevent waste. The revised Packaging Recycling Act of 2006 requires retailers to provide these data to the government from the fiscal year 2008. Our research showed that charging for shopping bags was the only strategy with a statistically significant impact on waste prevention. The effects of other voluntary programs, such as providing reusable bags, offering giveaways, and confirming that customers are using disposable bags, were not perceived as statistically significant.
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