Conscious Consumption: a Study on Plastic Bags' Consumers in Brazil

Abstract

In a context where planet sustainability is brought into vogue, this study aimed to clarify issues such as the socio-demographic profile of those who do not have rigid views and beliefs regarding the benefits of consuming plastic bags, as well as relations between the degree of ecological consciousness and the adoption of sustainable practices. The method consisted of a simple transversal survey method, and the central hypothesis was that most of the respondents attribute a high importance to plastic bags. Factor analysis was used for data reduction; cluster analysis was employed to reveal distinct groups of consumers according to importance attributed to plastic bags; and cross-tabulation was used for determining the existence of differences among subgroups in demographic terms. Results were that most respondents attributed high importance to plastic bags, but half of them attributed low importance to it, while others attributed median importance.