Estimation of consumer's willingness to pay for biodegradable food container in Kota Bharu, Kelantan

Abstract

Rapid rising population and regional urbanisation in Malaysia has led to rising demand and a more convenient disposable way of non-biodegradable food containers. The amount of mismanaged plastic waste in Malaysia keep increasing every year. This study is conducted to identify the consumers' willingness to pay for biodegradable food containers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. This study employed a simple random sampling method, and 270 respondents have participated in a face-to-face interview technique. The Contingent Valuation Method was used to estimate the consumers' willingness to pay for biodegradable food container products. The study has found that the three factors, age, marital status, and monthly household income, influence their willingness to pay for biodegradable food containers. The result indicates that the consumers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, are willing to pay RM0.78 for every biodegradable food container, which is 28 cents more than the current rate. The finding can become a guide or tool for improving biodegradable food containers and reducing nonbiodegradable food containers' usage to create a better living environment.