Nudging pro-environmental behaviour in a subsidized waste recycling system: A field experimental study

This study explores the effect of nudging within a recycling system that views households as rational actors swayed by economic incentives to foster pro-environmental behaviour. In a field experiment involving over 10,000 Latvian households, we invited them to sign up for recyclables containers by emphasizing either the economic gains or losses associated with such a move. Alternatively, households were primed with social norms or received a message that altered the choice architecture by explicitly asking for feedback. Our findings complement the development of behavioural theories by demonstrating how intrinsic and extrinsic motivations interact with systemic factors. While all interventions increased container uptake relative to the no-message condition, the majority of households remained non-responsive. This indifference underscores the limitations of subsidized waste recycling systems, illustrating how minor alterations in contextual elements and choice architecture may not suffice to instigate meaningful behavioural shifts within such structured frameworks. The results emphasize that significant pro-environmental behaviour requires more than just nudging or financial incentives; nudges are crucial in highlighting systemic shortcomings and pointing towards more effective engagement strategies. • Examines the interplay between nudging strategies and economic incentives to encourage recycling behaviour. • Over 10,000 households involved in the field experiment. • Interventions: economic gains/losses, social norms, and choice architecture. • Nudges expose systemic shortcomings and must be integrated into broader strategies to enhance pro-environmental behaviour. • Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are needed to drive behavioural change in a subsidized waste recycling system.