Creative Commons

Human and animal health are seriously endangered by plastic bag waste. In this study, convenience sampling is used to examine the determinants of plastic bag usage behavior among 188 consumers based on the extended Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). A descriptive analysis (SPSS) and structural equation model (SEM) with AMOS were then used to analyze the data. As part of the extension, three variables are added: convenience, environmental concern, and support for banning plastic bags. As shown by the empirical results, consumers' attitudes, subjective norms, and their support for a ban of plastic bags all correlate positively with their intention to use alternative types of bags. Convenience is associated with significant but negative effects on consumers' attitudes and intentions towards alternative types of bags, while environmental concerns are associated with significant but negative effects. The study also confirms that the TRA model is appropriate and that the extended TRA model can predict consumers' intention to use alternative plastic bags well. The results of this study are discussed in terms of implications for policy makers and suggestions for future research.