environmental sustainability and behavioral intention. In recent years, the excessive use of plastic materials

has resulted in severe environmental degradation, prompting the need for eco-friendly alternatives such as

biodegradable bags. The study aims to assess the level of awareness, usage patterns, and key determinants

influencing consumer adoption. A descriptive research design was employed, and data were collected from

175 respondents using a structured questionnaire. The study utilized percentage analysis, chi-square test,

correlation, and regression analysis to interpret the data. Findings reveal that although consumers exhibit a

relatively high level of awareness, consistent usage remains moderate due to constraints such as price

sensitivity, limited availability, and perceived product quality. The results further indicate that environmental

concern significantly influences usage behaviour, while price acts as a major barrier. The study highlights the

need for strategic interventions, including awareness campaigns and policy support, to promote sustainable

significant environmental problem, contributing to land pollution, water contamination, and harm to marine

life. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable in nature and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years,

In response to these challenges, biodegradable bags have been introduced as an environmentally friendly

alternative. These bags are designed to decompose naturally through the action of microorganisms, thereby

reducing their impact on the environment. Governments, environmental organizations, and policymakers

across the world have been actively promoting the use of biodegradable products as part of sustainable

Despite these efforts, the transition from conventional plastic bags to biodegradable alternatives has not been

entirely successful. One of the major reasons is the gap between consumer awareness and actual usage

environmental awareness and concern contribute to shaping positive attitudes, while social influence and

In the present context, particularly in urban areas such as Chennai, consumers are exposed to increasing

environmental campaigns and government regulations restricting plastic usage. However, observations

indicate that while awareness levels are rising, consistent usage of biodegradable bags remains limited. This

The researcher observed that consumers often express willingness to adopt eco-friendly alternatives but

hesitate due to higher prices and limited availability in retail outlets. In addition, there exists uncertainty

provides practical recommendations to bridge the gap between awareness and actual usage. Promoting

biodegradable bags is not only essential for environmental protection but also for ensuring long-term

Consumer awareness plays a significant role in shaping environmentally responsible behavior. Awareness

refers to the extent to which consumers understand the environmental impact of their consumption patterns

and the benefits of adopting sustainable alternatives. According to Kumar et al. (2020), consumers with higher

environmental awareness are more likely to prefer eco-friendly products; however, awareness alone does not

sustainability. These bags decompose naturally through biological processes, thereby minimizing long-term

environmental damage. Rao (2019) highlighted that government regulations, such as bans on plastic bags,

have a direct impact on increasing the adoption of biodegradable alternatives. The study by Patel and Desai

(2022) revealed that younger consumers tend to be more environmentally conscious and are more willing to

adopt biodegradable products. However, the study also noted that the effectiveness of such adoption depends

Consumer behavior towards biodegradable bags is influenced by multiple factors such as price, quality,

availability, and environmental concern. According to Kulal and Kunder (2025), socio-demographic variables

Sethi and Gill (2025) observed that price sensitivity remains one of the major barriers to the adoption of

biodegradable bags. Even when consumers are aware of environmental issues, higher prices discourage

Environmental concern has been identified as a strong motivating factor. Halim and Pervez (2025) concluded

that consumers who are highly concerned about environmental sustainability are more likely to adopt eco-

due to socio-economic and cultural factors. Secondly, many existing studies have primarily relied on

descriptive analysis, with limited integration of robust statistical techniques such as correlation and regression

to validate relationships between variables. Thirdly, previous research has often examined either consumer

awareness or behavioral aspects in isolation, with insufficient emphasis on the combined analysis of

Therefore, this study attempts to address these gaps by providing an empirical investigation of consumer

This study adopted a descriptive research design to analyze consumer awareness and usage of biodegradable

bags. The research focuses on identifying patterns in consumer behavior and examining the factors

influencing their purchasing decisions. Descriptive research is appropriate for this study as it provides a

The sample size of 175 respondents is considered adequate for this study based on Cochran’s sample size

formula for an unknown population. Additionally, prior social science research suggests that a sample size

above 150 is sufficient for regression analysis to produce reliable estimates. Therefore, the selected sample

A convenience sampling technique was employed to select respondents from different areas of Chennai. This

method was chosen due to time and accessibility constraints. The respondents included individuals from

The chi-square test was applied to examine the relationship between awareness and usage of biodegradable

Correlation analysis was used to measure the strength and direction of the relationship between variables such