Consumer Responses to Incentives to Reduce Plastic Bag Use: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Urban India

In this paper a test for appropriate policies is done that could help control the use of plastic bags in Delhi. In January 2009, the Government of Delhi introduced a wide-ranging ban on the use of plastic bags in market places. The results showed a dilution in the efficacy of the ban within a year, with widespread lack of enforcement. About 94% of the consumers continue to use plastic bags in blatant violation of rules. This led to examine the effects of other possible price and non-price instruments possibly requiring less monitoring and enforcement in order to control/reduce the use of plastic bags. The effectiveness of these policies were tested through field experiments in the semi-organized retail sector. [SANDEE Working Paper, No 65 - 11]. URL:[http://www.sandeeonline.org/uploads/documents/publication/954_PUB_WP_65_Kanupriya_Gupta.pdf].