Does Generation Z's Consumerist Lifestyle Affect The Effectiveness of Plastic Waste Reduction Policies? Evidence From Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Plastic waste has become a major environmental challenge in Indonesia, including in Banda Aceh, where the increasing use of single-use plastic packaging in cafés and food consumption activities contributes significantly to waste generation. While various government policies have been implemented to reduce plastic waste, limited studies have examined how behavioral factors, particularly Generation Z's consumerist lifestyle, influence policy effectiveness. This study aims to analyze the effect of Generation Z's consumerist lifestyle on the effectiveness of plastic waste reduction policies in Banda Aceh. The study employs a quantitative approach using a survey of 122 Generation Z respondents selected through Slovin sampling techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using simple linear regression with IBM SPSS Version 30. The findings reveal that Generation Z's consumerist lifestyle has a positive and significant effect on policy effectiveness (β = 0.818; t = 15.054; p < 0.001). The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.654) indicates that consumerist lifestyle explains 65.4% of the variation in policy effectiveness. These findings support the Behavioral Public Policy perspective, which emphasizes the importance of understanding behavioral characteristics in policy implementation. The study contributes to the public policy literature by demonstrating that behavioral factors play a substantial role in achieving environmental policy objectives. Therefore, policymakers should integrate behavioral approaches, environmental education, and targeted communication strategies into plastic waste reduction programs to improve policy effectiveness among Generation Z.