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Bans vs. Fees: Disposable Carryout Bag Policies and Bag Usage

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  • Rebecca L. Taylor
  • Sofia B. Villas-Boas

Abstract

Using observational data on consumer carryout bag usage, we measure the effects of disposable bag policies on disposable and reusable bag demand. Our results show that plastic bag bans coupled with paper bag fees decrease total disposable bag demand but lead to significant increases in paper bag consumption. We compare our results to a study on bag fees and find that both policies lead to similar increases in reusable bag usage. However, the success of bans versus fees in discouraging disposable bag usage is contingent upon the types and prices of bags that stores choose to sell in lieu of disposable plastic.

Suggested Citation

  • Rebecca L. Taylor & Sofia B. Villas-Boas, 2016. "Bans vs. Fees: Disposable Carryout Bag Policies and Bag Usage," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(2), pages 351-372.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:apecpp:v:38:y:2016:i:2:p:351-372.
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    Cited by:

    1. Cabrera, José María & Caffera, Marcelo & Cid, Alejandro, 2021. "Modest and incomplete incentives may work: Pricing plastic bags in Uruguay," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    2. Yu-Kai Huang & Richard T. Woodward, 2022. "Spillover Effects of Grocery Bag Legislation: Evidence of Bag Bans and Bag Fees," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(4), pages 711-741, April.
    3. Chenlu Ouyang & Huiqi Jiang & Qing Sheng & Guannan Liu & Minghui Jiang, 2022. "Tripartite Evolutionary Game Analysis for Plastic Pollution Prevention and Control under the Background of China’s Plastic Ban," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-22, February.
    4. Rebecca L. C. Taylor, 2020. "A Mixed Bag: The Hidden Time Costs of Regulating Consumer Behavior," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 7(2), pages 345-378.
    5. Tatiana A. Homonoff, 2018. "Can Small Incentives Have Large Effects? The Impact of Taxes versus Bonuses on Disposable Bag Use," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(4), pages 177-210, November.
    6. Tatiana Homonoff & Lee‐Sien Kao & Javiera Selman & Christina Seybolt, 2022. "Skipping the Bag: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Disposable Bag Regulation," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(1), pages 226-251, January.
    7. Van Asselt, Joanna & Nian, Yefan & Soh, Moonwon & Morgan, Stephen & Gao, Zhifeng, 2022. "Do plastic warning labels reduce consumers' willingness to pay for plastic egg packaging? – Evidence from a choice experiment," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Rebecca L. C. Taylor, 2022. "It's in the bag? The effect of plastic carryout bag bans on where and what people purchase to eat," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 104(5), pages 1563-1584, October.
    9. Cabrera, José María & Caffera, Marcelo & Cid, Alejandro, 2020. "Small Incentives May Have Large Effects: The Impact of Prices on the Demand for Plastic Bags," MPRA Paper 100178, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Taylor, Rebecca L.C., 2019. "Bag leakage: The effect of disposable carryout bag regulations on unregulated bags," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 254-271.
    11. Bishal Bharadwaj, 2016. "Plastic Bag Ban in Nepal: Enforcement and Effectiveness," Working Papers id:11548, eSocialSciences.

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