Bottled water usage and willingness to pay among Indian tourists: visual nudges and the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract

Consumption of bottled water creates large amounts of non-biodegradable plastic waste that poses a serious threat to marine life. Single-use plastic bags have been banned in several states in India. However, bottled water usage is still widely prevalent. We use Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour to understand how beliefs, attitudes, social norms, perceived costs, and perceived benefits affect tourists’ intentions to reduce bottled water usage. We use visual cues to compare the effect of positive and negative framing on tourists’ behavioural intentions and their willingness to pay an environmental tax. Pro-environmental beliefs, attitudes, and social norms affect tourists’ intention to carry their own water. Perceived costs such as the inconvenience of carrying water and changing habits are the primary barriers to eco-friendly intentions. Negative visual cues that nudge the tourist to be aware of environmental costs increase the willingness to pay an environmental tax but do not affect behavioural intentions. Women are more environmentally friendly than men, both with respect to behavioural intentions and willingness to pay. This study is the first to provide insight into the pro-environmental behavioural intentions of Indian tourists. Increasing consumer awareness and providing alternatives for clean drinking water may reduce bottled water consumption.