VALUE BEHIND SAVING AND REUSING SHOPPING BAGS

Abstract

The behavior associated with saving and reusing shopping bags has been heavily researched in the context of environmental studies. However, few studies have examined this behavior from the perspective of consumer behavior. Previous behavioral sciences research on collecting and hoarding possessions suggested that value is a driver of such behavior. It may therefore also be associated with saving and reusing shopping bags. The main research question of this study was what value consumers gain by a) saving and b) reusing shopping bags. This study used a qualitative research approach, with in-depth interviews with 15 women. All the women were initially screened and selected to ensure that they saved and/or reused shopping bags. The results suggested that there are four types of value associated with saving and reusing shopping bags: functional, social, emotional and conditional value. Using two frameworks of value and value creation, the findings were mapped to improve understanding of this behavior. This research has therefore created a baseline for future work about why consumers save and reuse shopping bags in particular, and packaging more generally. This thesis has also contributed to the literature on value in marketing, by exploring how consumers value packaging, and specifically shopping bags.