| Abstract |
Although megacities of emerging economies are facing a huge challenge of mismanaged plastic waste, what affects local consumers' recycling intention and behavior is poorly understood. This study aims to address this knowledge gap using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior model with four factors: attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), and perceived facilitation from government and community (PF), in Shanghai and Mumbai. Specifically, the study explores how these factors affect each gender and age group differently. The findings reveal that, in Shanghai and Mumbai, PBC (Shanghai: beta = 0.432, P < 0.001, Mumbai: beta = 0.612, P < 0.001), as well as PF (Shanghai: beta = 0.136, P < 0.01, Mumbai: beta = 0.116, P < 0.01) are the most significant determinants. It is also true for female (PBC: beta = 0.527, P < 0.001, PF: beta = 0.124, P < 0.01) and male consumers (PBC: beta = 0.656, P < 0.001, PF: beta = 0.115, P < 0.05), as well as for older consumers (PBC: beta = 0.643, P < 0.001, PF: beta = 0.147, P < 0.05) and younger consumers (PBC: beta = 0.418, P < 0.001, PF (beta = 0.234, P < 0.001). Notably, female consumers (beta = 0.133, P < 0.05) are more influenced by SN, but male consumers (beta = 0.150, P < 0.01) and younger consumers (beta = 0.181, P < 0.001) are more affected by ATT. Based on these results, specialized policy strategies for different groups were proposed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors shaping recycling intention and behavior in megacities, facilitating the development of effective policies to tackle plastic waste management challenges. |