From bag to better: A field study on the drivers of packaging choices for loose fruits and vegetables at the point of sale in Germany

• Study combines 3,156 observed real packaging choices with 413 consumer surveys to examine drivers of the decisions. • Despite 50% going packaging-free, 22% still used PE bags; only 17.4% chose sustainable alternatives. • The extended TPB model nearly doubled predictive accuracy, underscoring the need for broader frameworks. • Behavioral intentions, perceived knowledge, and involvement are key drivers in green packaging choices. • Findings help to develop effective strategies to reduce plastic waste by targeting cognitive and motivational drivers. Worldwide, billions of ultra-thin plastic bags for fruits and vegetables are used annually for convenience, contributing substantially to environmental pollution. To address this issue and better understand the drivers and barriers to adopting greener or packaging-free shopping behavior, this study examines real-life purchase decisions at the point of sale. A field experiment was conducted in four German supermarkets, combining structured observations of more than 3,000 fruit and vegetable purchases, followed by 413 quantitative interviews. Results show that more than half of consumers already avoid single-use plastic bags for bulk produce. Behavioral intentions, perceived knowledge, involvement, and emotional response contribute significantly to different packaging choices, whereas subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and environmental concerns have only a limited impact. This study advances theoretical research with empirical insights from real-world consumer behavior and provides practical guidance for stakeholders seeking to foster sustainable consumer behavior.