Perceived Policy Effectiveness and Bamboo Product Consumption: Evidence from a Field Investigation with Urban Residents

Advancing urban sustainability transitions through effective environmental policies requires understanding how residents perceive and respond to policies. While perceived policy effectiveness (PPE) has been studied in waste management and recycling programs, its role in shaping demand for bio-based materials remains underexplored. This study investigates whether and how PPE is associated with bamboo product consumption among 1121 urban residents in Zhejiang Province, China. Drawing on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, we use ordinary least squares estimators to examine the direct and interactive associations between PPE and actual bamboo consumption behavior. Results show that PPE is significantly and positively associated with bamboo product consumption. Interaction analysis reveals heterogeneous effects: PPE shows a weak positive interaction with environmental knowledge, but a negative interaction with environmental values. This suggests that policy signals may complement cognitive preparedness while partly compensating for low value-based motivation. A supplementary analysis indicates that this conditioning extends to economic resources, with the association concentrated among lower-income, more price-sensitive consumers. This study extends PPE research from post-consumption management to the purchasing stage of sustainable products. It highlights the role of policy perceptions in shaping demand-side adoption of lower-impact materials, with implications for urban sustainability transitions and city-level policies promoting bio-based alternatives.