SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF BIODEGRADABLE CARRY BAGS IN DELHI: RE-DESIGNING THE ‘SAY NO TO PLASTIC BAGS’ CAMPAIGN

Abstract

Plastics bags are permanently damaging the ecology. Yet, people continue to use them, as they are durable and
inexpensive. Moreover, they are habitually using plastic bags. Government and non-governmental agencies have tried
discouraging their use by imposing bans and running ‘say no to plastic bags’ campaigns for educating public about their
harmful effect on the environment and promoting biodegradable carry-bags. But all that proved ineffective in curbing
the menace of plastic bags. Hence, the campaign to encourage people to shun plastic bags needs to bring an attitudinal
shift in the public, so that they wilfully accept biodegradable carry bags. The purpose of the study was to redesign the
‘say no to plastic bags’ campaign using social marketing strategy and promote biodegradable carry-bags in Delhi.
Pushkar (Rajasthan) was the model study area for the purposes of research. The outcomes of the study proved that legal
orders and bans are not effective in long run, until the stakeholders are convinced about the need for shifting to
biodegradable bags from plastic bags. A lasting solution to plastic bag menace requires that the stakeholders’ behaviour
and attitude towards plastic bags changes permanently and they adopt the biodegradable carry bags. 250 Respondents
from Delhi and adjacent cities, were probed about the factors which motivate them to take-up biodegradable bags and
the factors which prevent them from doing so. Beside the monetary reasons, there are non-monetary or psychological
reasons which act as deterrents, like – unsuitability of biodegradable bags for the wet product; fear of breakage or
durability issues; and the additional cost burden – are the prominent deterrents in the path of acceptance of
biodegradable bags as an alternative to plastic bags. Hence, there is a need to re-design the campaign using a social
marketing strategy, with an equal emphasis placed on eight Ps of marketing-mix. A campaign designed in such a way
have greater chances of success in bringing a permanent behavioural change among people towards acceptance of
biodegradable carry-bags