Introduction

The OECD [70] asserts that the unsustainable nature of human activities is evident in the notable harm being caused to ecosystems, human health, and overall quality of life, which are consequences of the swift growth of industrialization and urbanization. Plastic, among others, is posing a significant threat to the environment [35]. Geyer et al. [44] reported that between 1950 and 2015, the global production of new plastic amounted to approximately 8.3 billion metric tons (Mt), out of which more than 6.3 billion Mt were disposed of as waste. Disaggregating the waste, it was found that 9% was subjected to recycling, 12% was subjected to incineration, and the remaining 79% was deposited in landfills or the natural environment. According to Geyer et al. [44], if the present manufacturing and waste management practices persist, research indicates that the quantity of plastic waste in the form of garbage deposited in landfills or the natural environment could surpass 12,000 Mt by the year 2050.

In light of the critical levels of plastic production and the resulting accumulation of waste, it is essential to actively promote and implement recycling strategies. These strategies should aim to decrease the use of new plastic and lessen the amount of waste sent to landfills, thereby helping to mitigate the environmental hazards associated with plastic. Currently, most plastics are recyclable and can be repurposed [78]. However, the potential for recycling plastic waste is considerably underutilized, as evidenced by Ragaert et al. [78, 79]. The capacity for recycling is constrained due to variations in the sizes of waste streams, the quality of different types of plastic, and geographic or political factors, as noted by Hahladakis and Iacovidou [51] and Gong et al. [45]. Additionally, companies do not demand enough recycled plastic as these products are not considered a valuable resource, since the costs of recycling plastic are higher than those of processing virgin materials [18].

Calvo-Porral and Lévy-Mangin [20] argue that the adoption of recycled plastic products and packaging by the public can significantly lessen the ecological impact of plastic waste by creating demand for such products and supporting sustainable business models. Scholars and policymakers concur that consumer behavior plays a pivotal role in facilitating the transition to a circular economy [41, 47, 91, 93], and various organizations have initiated campaigns aimed at promoting a shift in people's plastic consumption habits [11, 53]. Although consumers are generally aware of companies producing goods from recycled plastic [66], and show an interest in sustainable products, there is often a gap between this interest and actual purchase behaviors, as observed by Park and Lin [73].

To reduce the use of new plastic products and packaging and provide valuable insights for companies, a deeper comprehension of consumer attitudes and purchasing behavior is thus essential. While previous studies have examined multiple drivers of pro-environmental behavior [30], such as recycling [65], energy conservation [102], and organic food consumption [86], minimal evidence exists regarding the determinants of behavior related to the purchase of recycled plastic products and packaging. Furthermore, the factors influencing different pro-environmental behaviors can vary considerably [29]. The capacity to motivate individuals to adopt more environmentally friendly consumption practices is crucial in addressing the current environmental challenges [31, 39].

The objective of this study, anchored in the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior [3,4,5], is to investigate the factors that influence pro-environmental consumer behavior concerning the purchase of products and packaging made from recycled plastic. This understanding is crucial for promoting the circular economy model, in which materials are recycled into new products, thereby decreasing dependence on the production of new plastics and lessening the environmental impact associated with waste disposal [48].

Specifically, this research explores firstly the impact of plastic concern and perceived efficacy in shaping attitudes towards recycled plastic. Secondly, the research explores the influence of social norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control in shaping purchasing behaviors concerning recycled plastic. To accomplish this goal, the study analyzes original data gathered from a survey of 511 consumers in Italy. The findings indicate that concerns regarding plastics and perceived efficacy directly impact attitudes. Furthermore, the results show that social norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control play a significant role in shaping purchasing behaviors related to recycled plastic.

The findings offer valuable information for future consumer-based plastics research and for developing effective communication plans and regulations that promote more sustainable and low-impact plastic usage.

Literature Review and Research Hypotheses

When discussing the factors influencing consumer behavior, the theory of planned behavior [3,4,5] is often utilized. While this model has faced criticism and competition from other behavioral models, it is still considered a highly effective approach for developing interventions aimed at changing human behavior [106]. The TPB posits that attitudes towards behavioral intentions, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) have a significant influence on shaping both behavioral intention and actual behavior. However, as these factors can vary greatly depending on the circumstances surrounding a specific behavior, further research into behavior prediction is still necessary [3, 87].

Our research extends the application of the TPB framework in the context of consumer behavior toward recycled plastic. First, we look at how the concern of plastic and perceived efficacy can help to shape attitudes toward recycled plastic. These constructs have never been studied before regarding recycled plastic purchasing behavior. Second, we investigate the relationship between plastic concern, perceived efficacy, and recycled plastic purchasing behavior by examining attitudes' previously unknown mediation effect.

According to previous research [81, 84], individuals who have a concern for the environment tend to exhibit eco-friendly consumer behavior. The NEP scale, created by Dunlap and Van Liere in the late 1970s, was designed to measure general environmental concern, but subsequent research has shown that ecological crises do not always lead to environmental-friendly behavior [84, 107]. Owing to the significant harm inflicted by plastic, particularly on marine ecosystems, there has been a shift towards alternatives free from plastic [77]. Recent research indicates that individuals worried about plastic pollution tend to have favorable views on minimizing plastic usage [68] and are more inclined to eschew the purchase of single-use plastic items while shopping for groceries [21]. These findings indicate that plastic concern is a significant predictor of pro-environmental behavior.

Overall, these studies demonstrate a positive correlation between consumers' plastic concern and their likelihood to engage in behaviors that promote sustainability. Plastic concern is identified as a significant behavioral factor that influences consumer decision-making regarding the consumption of recycled plastic products. Therefore, further research in this area is warranted, by setting the following hypotheses:

  • H1: High plastic concern positively affects individuals' attitudes towards recycled products.

  • H2: Attitudes mediate the relationship between plastic concern and purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic.

The value-beliefs-norm theory suggests that individual values, beliefs, and norms affect pro-environmental behaviors. Previous research by Stern [87] and Ajzen and Fishbein [5] has shown that environmental beliefs, including perceived self-efficacy, can influence attitudes, which in turn predict pro-environmental behaviors. Self-efficacy is typically understood as a personal capacity that drives motivation and cognitive resources [7, 105], thereby influencing behavioral choice [7]. In this context, self-efficacy is informed by an individual's self-assessment of prior performance levels, thereby establishing a robust association between past performance and self-efficacy, as described by Vancouver et al. [101]. Although self-efficacy has been studied in measurable settings, such as organizational contexts [28], sports [42], and health [8], more recent research has begun to examine the role of self-efficacy in prosocial and altruistic activities, such as pro-environmental behavior, which may not offer immediate or tangible rewards [104]. In particular, self-efficacy has been demonstrated to foster pro-environmental attitudes, like recycling [88, 89], and the adoption of reusable shopping bags [62], while also influencing consumer behavior towards food conservation, thereby mitigating environmental issues. However, research on the function of perceived self-efficacy in shaping attitudes toward recycled plastic purchases is limited. Thus, our hypotheses are as follows:

  • H3. The perceived efficacy of buying recycled products positively affects individual attitudes.

  • H4: Attitudes mediate the relationship between perceived efficacy and purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic.

Krumpal [61] posits that individuals adopt specific actions in pursuit of social acceptance and adherence to social norms. According to Cialdini and Trost's [27] definition, social norms are guidelines and expectations that shape and restrict human conduct within a group without the enforcement of laws. These norms may be categorized as either descriptive or injunctive influencers on human motivation, as outlined by Cialdini et al. [26]. Descriptive norms embody beliefs about others' actual behaviors, signifying what is typical based on the majority's actions. In contrast, injunctive norms comprise beliefs or rules regarding what others morally endorse or reject, indicating the behaviors one should adopt to avoid social disapproval.

The extent to which social norms are internalized by individuals determines their impact on behavior [97], with adherence to injunctive norms likely influenced by individuals' strategic calculations regarding social status, and internalized norms having a stronger association with behavior.

Numerous field experiments have confirmed the significant effect of social norms on pro-environmental behaviors [14, 19, 23, 69, 72, 90]. For instance, Muralidharan and Sheehan [68] found that social norms significantly impact consumer intentions to avoid plastic packaging, while Borg et al. [15] reported that social norms strongly affect consumers' avoidance of single-use plastic items such as cups, bags, and takeaway boxes. Moreover, Byerly et al. [19] underscored the significance of social norms in consumer decision-making and their capacity to inspire pro-environmental behaviors in various domains, including recycling, energy consumption, and other activities [95]. In contrast, Bertoldo and Castro [13] argued that social norms negatively impact recycling behavior. There are few or no social costs of not participating, and social models predict recycling behaviors less than personal norms and environmental identity. However, a specific focus on how social norms affect consumer behavior toward recycled plastic consumption remains unexplored. Thus, we suggest the following hypothesis:

  • H5. The presence of social norms has a positive impact on purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic.

The TPB model [3] suggests that factors such as social norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes toward a specific behavior can shape an individual's behavioral intention. Thurstone [98], an early contributor to the field, defined behavioral attitude as a combination of an individual's inclinations, feelings, preconceived notions, fears, beliefs, and other related factors toward a specific subject. Numerous studies have examined attitudes as underlying factors for pro-environmental behaviors [58]. The literature presents a diverse range of results concerning the relationship between attitudes and pro-environmental behavior. Vermeir and Verbeke's [103] study indicates that attitudes exert a more significant influence than societal norms on sustainable consumption decisions. Ha and Janda [49] discovered that attitudes serve as the primary predictors of the intention to purchase energy-efficient products. Similarly, Tonglet et al. [99] posited that recycling attitudes are the key determinants of recycling behavior. Conversely, Bortoleto et al. [16] found that attitudes toward waste prevention did not directly influence prevention behavior,instead, personal norms played a mediating role in this impact. Similarly, Moser [67] utilized the TPB as a theoretical framework to identify key antecedents of sustainable product purchasing behavior and found that attitudes did not serve as a significant predictor. Since a specific focus on how attitudes affect consumer behavior toward recycled plastic consumption has not been addressed before, we propose the following hypotheses:

  • H6. Attitudes towards recycled products positively affect purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic.

Exploiting the TPB framework, several studies have demonstrated the significance of perceived behavioral control in stimulating behavior, along with personal characteristics. (e.g., [6]). Perceived behavioral control is defined as an individual's assurance in accomplishing a behavior [3]. Consequently, an individual's high perceived behavioral control to achieve a specific behavior strengthens their conviction in successfully performing that behavior, thus heightening the likelihood of adopting said behavior [2].

However, despite evidence for the beneficial function of perceived behavior control, research on recycling-related concerns has yet again produced inconsistent results. While some studies have pinpointed perceived behavioral control as the key determinant of various pro-environmental actions, like recycling waste and batteries [17, 63], others have established that perceived behavioral control indirectly impacts recycling via other mediating elements [34]. Additionally, some scholars have found that most consumers feel uncertain when assessing the environmental sustainability of plastic packaging [57] due to the existence of conflicting environmental logic [92].

Considering the abovementioned contrasting evidence, as well as the fact that buying products with recycled plastic content is still unexplored, we posit the subsequent hypothesis:

  • H7. The impact of perceived behavioral control on the purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic is positive.

Figure 1 presents the model to be tested.

Fig. 1
figure 1

The paths of the model

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Methodology

Data Description

We surveyed a representative sample of the Italian population to test the hypotheses concerning purchasing behavior related to recycled plastic, as outlined in the preceding section.

The questionnaire was developed to reduce standard method variance in behavioral research, which may compromise its reliability. To guarantee the clarity of the questionnaire, an initial assessment was conducted with two potential respondents, following the recommendations of Tourangeau and Yan [100]. All identified deficiencies were addressed before its distribution.

We collected data through an electronic questionnaire during the first three months of 2020, using a commercial surveying service provider to select participants from an online access panel to ensure representativeness in terms of gender, age, residency, and education among Italians between the ages of 18 and 75. The representativeness of the data was evaluated using the Dillman formula [36] after 511 comprehensive questionnaires were gathered. The formula suggests that a sample size of 384 or greater is adequate; therefore, we gathered several responses exceeding this threshold. The sample size of 511 was also consistent with Salant and Dillman's [82] recommendation of a sample size of 400 for generalizing to a population with a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error in studies involving human dimensions. Table 1 presents descriptive statistics of the participants.

Table 1 Descriptive statistics of the participants
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We took steps to minimize the potential bias caused by common method variance and conducted a post hoc test to ensure the accuracy of the questionnaire responses. To test for the presence of common method variance, we used Harman's single-factor posthoc test [75]. This test involves examining the eigenvalues of the factors to determine whether a single factor explains most of the covariance among the variables. The results showed the presence of at least eight distinct components with eigenvalues greater than 1.0. We determined that common method variance was not an issue because Harman's single-factor posthoc test did not reveal factors accounting for most covariance across the variables [85].

Measurement of the Constructs

The measurement of purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic was based on studies by Dodds et al. [38] and Bao et al. [10]. A seven-point Likert scale was employed to evaluate the intention of the participants, based on two items. Afterward, these two items were merged to create a single factor that demonstrated acceptable internal consistency, as verified by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.75.

A commonly used semantic scale was adopted for measuring attitudes to encompass both affective and cognitive components [90]. Four items were created to test attitudes, and we used a 7-point Likert semantic scale to rate respondents’ views on a set of qualities. For the first item, the scale was from "pointless" to "useful," for the second, from "irresponsible" to "responsible," for the third, from "unnecessary" to "necessary" and for the fourth, from "not recommended" to "recommended". These items were subsequently combined into a single factor that demonstrated high internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.85.

The development of a scale for measuring perceived behavioral control was based on the foundational work of Grob [46]. In this instance, three items were utilized to evaluate perceived behavioral control. Also in this case, the level of agreement of the participants was gauged through a 7-point Likert scale, and the resulting items were aggregated to form a single factor that exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81).

Our study was anchored in the preceding research by Do Valle et al. [37] and Gadenne et al. [43], from which we identified three items to measure social norms. We employed a 7-point Likert scale for the assessment of respondents' alignment with social norms. The responses were combined to produce a single factor that showed substantial internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.81).

We used items proposed by Huang [54] and Sharma and Dayal [83] to measure perceived efficacy. We created three items and asked respondents to rate their degree of agreement on a 7-point Likert scale. Cronbach's alpha of the single factor derived by integrating all elements was 0.88.

To determine plastic concerns, the researchers drew upon Bang et al.'s [9] early work on environmental concerns, as well as more recent studies by Maichum et al. [64] and Li et al. [56]. The plastic concern scale consisted of two items, rated on a Likert scale ranging from one to seven, and was based on a recent study by Cavaliere et al. [21]. The two items were merged into a single factor, and the resulting scale demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.77). Descriptive statistics for the constructs used in the study can be found in Appendix Table 5.

Results

A structural equation model was employed to analyze the collected data and evaluate the hypotheses. This process involved firstly assessing the measurement model and secondly testing the hypotheses.

Assessment of the Measurement Model

Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the qualities of the measures. Table 2 displays the fit indices for the measurement model, including chi-square difference (2), degrees of freedom (df), chi-square statistic adjusted for degrees of freedom (2/df), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA), and p of Close Fit (PCLOSE). According to Barrett [12], a satisfactory model fit would result in a non-significant chi-square outcome. However, Iacobucci [55] argues that the chi-square statistic is sensitive to sample size, and it frequently rejects the model when large samples are employed. Therefore, a favorable model fit may be characterized by a comparative fit index (CFI), a Tucker-Lewis index (which should typically be 0.95 to indicate a good fit), and an RMSEA (which should usually be 0.08 to indicate a satisfactory match).

Table 2 Evaluation of the measurement model
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The convergent and discriminant validity of the measurement model were evaluated using the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) and Maximum Shared Variance (MSV) for each variable, which are presented in Table 3. These indicators enable an assessment of whether the construct pieces that are theoretically linked are connected, which is known as convergent validity [33]. Instead, discriminant validity assesses whether the components in a concept are unrelated to other things [50]. Typically, an AVE score greater than 0.5 suggests that the constructs have high convergent validity. When AVE levels exceed MSV values, discriminant validity is not an issue [52].

Table 3 Reliability and validity outcomes
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Verification of Hypotheses

Once the measurement model was evaluated, we determined it to be sufficient for testing the hypotheses based on the acceptable goodness-of-fit indices. The proposed structural equation model had a variance of 0.458 (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2
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The paths of the model

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The coefficients of the model indicate a robust and statistically significant correlation between plastic concern and attitudes (H1) (b = 0.18, p < 0.001), as well as between perceived efficacy and attitudes (H3) (b = 0.32, p < 0.001). Moreover, the study found significant positive relationships between social norms and purchase behavior concerning recycled plastic (H5) (b = 0.57, p < 0.001), and attitudes and behavior purchase concerning recycled plastic (H6) (b = 0.26, p < 0.001). Finally, the analysis also revealed a significant and positive relationship between perceived behavioral control and purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic (H7) (b = 0.14, p < 0.01).

To evaluate H2 and H4, the study computed the direct and indirect impacts of attitudes on purchasing behavior concerning recycled plastic. The mediation effect was evaluated by conducting 5,000 bootstraps resamples using the bias-corrected bootstrap approach, which yields appropriate statistical power [24]. The results showed that H2 was supported, while H4 was rejected. Consequently, it was discovered that attitudes function as a mediating factor between plastic concern and purchasing behaviors related to recycled plastic. Furthermore, these attitudes act as a full mediator between perceived efficacy and the purchasing behavior concerning recycled plastic products. The direct effect, indirect effect, and mediator are all presented in Tables 4.

Table 4 Results of the mediation tests
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Discussion

Theoretical Contributions

Our research contributes to a better understanding of the beliefs that shape the development of favorable attitudes toward recycled products. Specifically, we found that plastic-related concern has a direct impact on positive attitudes towards recycled products or packaging and, indirectly, on the likelihood of purchasing such products. Previous studies have also provided strong empirical support for the role of environmental concern in driving pro-environmental behaviors [71]. Focusing on plastic issues, Chi [25] found that environmental concern positively affects the probability of buying eco-friendly plastic products. In our study, we focus on products with recycled plastic and shed light on the fact that plastic concern represents one of the new drivers in influencing consumers’ decision-making process.

Second, our research suggests that plastic-related concern represents another specific environmental-related concern that should be more extensively analyzed in future study. For instance, purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic [15] could be better explored also concerning plastic concerns. Moreover, future research leveraging the scale proposed in our study could also test and validate an appropriate scale for measuring and assessing plastic-related concerns.

Our research also makes a significant contribution to the ongoing discussion concerning the impact of perceived self-efficacy by providing fresh empirical evidence that challenges the inconsistent findings reported in prior studies. Our study supports the observations of Kollmuss and Agyeman [60], which suggest that perceived self-efficacy can influence attitudes. However, we discovered that perceived self-efficacy does not have a direct effect on the purchase behavior concerning recycled plastic, which contrasts with other research that suggests consumer self-efficacy can directly impact sustainable behaviors [96].

Our findings add to the existing body of knowledge based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model's ability to predict eco-friendly behavior. Firstly, our study validates the model's efficacy and its components (i.e., social norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control) in predicting environmentally conscious behavior, such as purchasing recycled plastic products. For instance, our results indicate a significant positive correlation between perceived behavioral control and plastic recycling behavior, thereby confirming the crucial role of one's capability to adopt specific green buying behavior [1, 76]. Secondly, social norms exhibit a more substantial influence than attitudes and perceived behavioral control over purchasing behavior. Our findings confirmed the assumption that social norms significantly impact consumers' buying behavior regarding recycled plastic, highlighting how behavior is not only influenced by individual attributes. Consumers' willingness to engage in sustainable behavior is heavily influenced by the behavior of others in their social context [74]. When people perceive that others do not share environmental concerns, they may feel powerless to make an impact and lose motivation to engage in environmentally friendly behaviors [15]. Lastly, our study furthers understanding of the determinants of attitude and its mediating role. Specifically, the empirical models reveal that plastic-related concern and perceived self-efficacy have a positive impact on attitude, which ultimately acts as a complete mediator of the positive association between self-efficacy and the behavior of purchasing recycled plastic products.

Policy and Managerial Implications

Since plastic concern and self-efficacy positively influence attitudes, policymakers could design education campaigns that emphasize the environmental benefits of plastic recycling to push for products made from recycled plastic indirectly. Awareness campaigns could also focus on the role of descriptive (related to observing others' overt behaviors) and injunctive (based on the inference of others' approval) norms. Here, identifying opinion leaders could effectively change consumer behavior.

Recognizing the influential role of social norms in shaping consumer behavior, as identified in our study, awareness campaigns could strategically focus on two types of norms: descriptive and injunctive, as detailed by Keys et al. [59]. Descriptive norms involve observing others' overt behaviors [80], and campaigns can highlight this by presenting real-life examples of individuals or communities engaged in sustainable practices, like using products made from recycled plastic. This method leverages the human tendency to mimic the actions of others, particularly when these actions are viewed as positive or beneficial. Injunctive norms, which pertain to perceptions of others' approval or disapproval [40], can be accentuated through endorsements by influential figures or opinion leaders. Collaborating with such influential individuals or entities, such as celebrities, esteemed community members, or organizations renowned for environmental advocacy, can significantly impact public opinions and, subsequently, consumer behaviors.

We believe that public policies should design instruments encouraging companies to make use of recycled plastic in their products or packaging. Guidelines aimed at standardizing the creation of robust claims and the communication of environmental benefits could contribute to establishing a fair and transparent communication process. This, in turn, could promote the adoption of products and packaging made from recycled plastics. In addition, managers could design marketing campaigns following the abovementioned indications to stimulate the consumption of recycled plastic products.

Since consumers seem to recognize the added value of recycled plastic, managers should invest resources to find new opportunities for recycling plastic or design plastic products or packaging with recycled content. In this context, we explicitly recommend that managers actively seek collaborative pathways with actors along the supply chain. For instance, initiatives such as industrial symbiosis [32] could foster innovative solutions, like combining byproducts from various industries with recycled plastics.

Conclusions

This paper employed a structural equation model to examine the factors that influence consumers' decisions to purchase recycled plastic products or packaging. Specifically, we investigated the impacts of plastic concern, self-efficacy, attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on purchasing decisions. Our research reveals that concerns about plastics and perceived efficacy exert a direct influence on attitudes. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that social norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control significantly shape purchasing behaviors concerning recycled plastic. Thus, consistent with previous research based on the TPB, this study supports the notion that social norms, attitudes, and PBC play significant roles in determining consumers' purchase behavior regarding recycled plastic. Moreover, our study suggests that attitudes serve as a mediating factor between concerns about plastics and purchasing decisions related to recycled plastic. These attitudes also function as a complete mediator in the relationship between perceived efficacy and the purchasing behavior for recycled plastic products.

From a theoretical standpoint, our study offers two primary contributions. Firstly, it underscores how concerns about plastics significantly influence people's perceptions of recycled products and their purchasing tendencies, thereby highlighting the role of these concerns in guiding consumer decisions. Secondly, it provides evidence that perceived self-efficacy affects attitudes but does not directly correlate with purchasing behaviors. The practical implications of our research suggest that educational campaigns emphasizing the benefits of plastic recycling and the impact of social norms could positively influence consumer behavior. Furthermore, governmental policies should advocate for recycled plastic, thereby enhancing the use of recycled plastic products. From a managerial perspective, managers are encouraged to investigate recycling opportunities and develop products that incorporate materials based on these findings. Despite the relevance of our findings, the study presents some limitations which could inspire future research on this topic. First, the inquiry depends on self-reported data that are founded on individual perceptions instead of factual conduct. While numerous studies have established the validity of self-reported data [94], upcoming research should endeavor to obtain data by directly observing purchase behavior concerning recycled plastic. Moreover, since our measure is quite generic, future research should focus on specific behaviors to investigate whether there are differences in the effect of the variables included in our model.

Second, our research focuses on environmental factors and overlooks the influence of other aspects such as price, quality, etc. Further investigations could investigate how these aforementioned factors might create contrasting priorities in a consumer. Experimental designs such as conjoint analysis may be suitable methodological choices.

Third, our research focuses on a sample representative of the Italian population. Even though cultural values could be considered homogeneous across Western countries, future research could test our model in emerging countries such as BRICS countries.

In conclusion, even though we explored five potential factors that may affect behavior, including perceived efficacy, attitude towards plastic recycled products, perceived behavioral control, and social norms, prior research indicates that contextual factors could also impact eco-friendly conduct [22]. Therefore, future research forthcoming studies ought to incorporate supplementary variables like individual attributes, contextual factors, and behavioral determinants into our model to substantiate the impact of these determinants on purchase behavior relating to recycled plastic.

Recycled plastics constitute a significant area of future research within the framework of the circular economy. It is essential that forthcoming studies thoroughly investigate this topic in the ensuing years. Alongside examining consumer behavior, it is imperative to explore additional research avenues. Future research should aim to examine the issue from a more macroscopic perspective, encompassing an analysis of market trends, potential impacts on supply chains, and the wider economic ramifications of integrating recycled plastics across various industries. Additionally, another area for further investigation includes delving into the emerging concerns associated with recycled microplastics and their potential adverse effects on human health.