Single-use packaging items constitute a large proportion of the plastic litter found in the marine environment. Consumer decisions contribute to the accumulation of this pollution in the environment. Here we undertook two studies to assess consumer responses to different types of single-use packaging. Moreover, we introduce a new measure of ocean connectedness adapted from nature connectedness measures and investigate its association with consumer response.

In Study 1, 60 UK undergraduate students completed a packaging rating task and a survey on ocean connectedness in a laboratory environment. In the rating task pictures of bottled drinks with unique combinations of packaging recyclability (recyclable or non-recyclable) and type of material (plastic, glass, aluminium or carton) were rated in terms of willingness to buy, anticipated affective response and attractiveness. Study 2 used the same experimental approach online, with responses gathered from a broader UK public sample (n = 512). The data were analysed using linear mixed models.

Both studies demonstrated a strong preference for recyclable over non-recyclable packaging and found interaction effects between recyclability and ocean connectedness: We found larger differences between ratings for recyclable and non-recyclable packaging in consumers high in ocean connectedness than in respondents low in ocean connectedness. Interactions between packaging material and consumer ratings showed that plastic packaging in general was viewed as less benign by those high in ocean connectedness.

Ocean connectedness has the potential to encourage sustainable purchasing and help minimise plastic waste. Study limitations and wider implications are discussed.

一次性包装物品占海洋环境中发现的塑料垃圾的很大一部分。消费者的决定促成了这种污染在环境中的积累。在这里，我们进行了两项研究来评估消费者对不同类型的一次性包装的反应。此外，我们引入了一种新的海洋连通性度量，它改编自自然连通性度量，并研究了它与消费者反应的关联。

在研究 1 中，60 名英国本科生在实验室环境中完成了包装评级任务和海洋连通性调查。在对具有独特包装可回收性（可回收或不可回收）和材料类型（塑料、玻璃、铝或纸箱）组合的瓶装饮料的评级任务图片中，根据购买意愿、预期情感反应和吸引力进行评级。研究 2 使用了相同的在线实验方法，从更广泛的英国公共样本中收集了响应 ( n  = 512)。使用线性混合模型分析数据。

两项研究都显示出对可回收包装的强烈偏好，并发现可回收性和海洋连通性之间的相互作用效应：我们发现，与海洋连通性低的消费者相比，海洋连通性高的消费者对可回收包装和不可回收包装的评分差异更大。包装材料和消费者评级之间的相互作用表明，塑料包装一般被海洋连通性高的人认为不太友好。

海洋连通性有可能鼓励可持续采购并帮助减少塑料浪费。讨论了研究的局限性和更广泛的影响。