Tourism and plastic waste: challenges of sustainable packaging for micro food and beverage enterprises

Purpose This study explores the challenges micro food and beverage (F&B) enterprises face in adopting sustainable packaging practices and reducing plastic consumption within tourism destinations. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was employed, comprising 14 semi-structured interviews with micro F&B employees selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected at a major tourist destination in Penang (Pulau Pinang), Malaysia. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, with NVivo software supporting systematic coding, organisation, and interpretation of the interview data. Data trustworthiness was maintained through measures of credibility, dependability, and confirmability, including peer debriefing and audit trail documentation. Findings The analysis reveals six interrelated challenges: high relative costs of eco-friendly packaging; difficulties sourcing sustainable materials from local suppliers; low sustainability awareness among tourists and local customers; strong customer expectations for plastic bags, straws and containers; perceived inferiority and poor durability of paper-based alternatives; and deeply institutionalised, plastic-intensive business routines. These patterns were reported by the vast majority of interviewees for each theme (typically between two-thirds and nearly all participants), underscoring that external resource dependencies and entrenched norms jointly make the transition away from plastic a complex and highly constrained process for micro-enterprises in tourism settings. Originality/value This study offers a novel contribution by spotlighting the overlooked voices of F&B micro-businesses operating in tourism-centric areas, which is an often marginalised group in sustainability research. By uncovering nuanced, real-world barriers these small enterprises face in reducing plastic waste, the research bridges a critical gap between high-level sustainability policies and grassroots implementation. The study also contextualises the role of tourist behaviour as a driving force in shaping unsustainable practices, offering new perspectives for more inclusive and effective environmental strategies in the hospitality sector.