Socially Responsible Plastic Consumption Behavior: A Multi-Wave Study of UAE

This study examines the factors that drive behavioral willingness to reduce plastic consumption and socially responsible consumption behavior through the Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence (S-O-B-C) framework. Using a four-wave time-lagged design, 440 consumers from the UAE retail sector participated in the study. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypotheses. The study results suggest that environmental consciousness and values are positively related to environmental knowledge and environmental self-identity. Furthermore, environmental knowledge and environmental self-identity are positively linked with the willingness to reduce plastic consumption, while socially responsible consumption behavior is positively associated with the willingness to reduce plastic consumption. Additionally, policy support positively moderated the connotation of environmental knowledge with behavioral willingness to reduce plastic consumption and socially responsible consumption behavior. The proposed S-O-B-C framework enriches the literature on plastic consumption to understand retail consumers’ perspectives in an emerging country context. The findings provide insights that will help practitioners and academics understand consumers’ plastic consumption intention and formulate strategies that will increase the involvement of consumers in plastic conservation activities.