Message framing impact on green behavior: the decision to pay more for biodegradable packaging in food application context

Biodegradable takeaway food packaging, which can be composted and will biodegrade in municipal waste, is a relatively new innovation in packaging material. As a result, there is not a lot known about how consumers relate to it or how consumers can be persuaded to choose it. The objectives of this research included investigating the influence of message framing on green behavior (including consumer choice and willingness to pay) in the context of biodegradable takeaway food packaging, as well as investigating the moderating role of self-construal in this relationship. The study used a theoretical framework incorporating consumer behavior theory, message framing (founded in prospect theory) and self-construal theory to examine these relationships. The study was designed as a quasi-experiment, using 2 (message content frame (health/environment) x 2 (number of messages frame (single/double)) with self-construal (independent/interdependent) as moderator. Data was collected using an online survey, with a sample of Thai consumers (n = 400) randomly assigned to one of four message framing groups and asked about their choice of biodegradable food packaging and willingness to pay (WTP) for the packaging. Then their self-construal levels were tested. Analysis was conducted in SPSS, using chi-square tests and one-way ANOVA to investigate the influence of framing on consumer choice and willingness to pay and two-way ANOVA to investigate the moderating role of self-construal. The results did not show a significant effect of message framing on consumer behavior or a moderating effect of self-construal on the decision, which may be due to the nature of the consumer decision for biodegradable food packaging. These findings have theoretical and managerial implications.