Drink wise, drink tap : a communication campaign to reduce single use plastic bottle waste by encouraging the consumption of tap water over bottled water in Singapore

Abstract

Drink Wise, Drink Tap is a communication campaign to reduce single use plastic bottle waste in Singapore. The campaign is the first of its kind to tackle the unnecessary consumption of plastic bottled water in Singapore by encouraging the consumption of tap water over bottled water. It targeted The Fast paced Singaporeans (TFPS) aged 26 to 35 years old, who purchase plastic bottled water due to convenience. Formative research revealed that while individuals were confident of the quality of tap water in Singapore, attitude was not translated into behaviour to drink tap water when outside of home largely due to fear of contamination by contextual indicators. Along with negative social norms and poor perceived accessibility of safe drinking tap water, this has driven demand for plastic bottled water. Guided by the elaborated theory of planned behaviour (TPB) that includes personal norms as the fourth antecedent, TFPS with higher personal norms were utilised to influence other TFPS . The campaign equipped them with knowledge about the safety of drinking tap water when outside of home, and elevated accessibility of tap water outside of home to make drinking tap water a more convenient choice. Drink Wise, Drink Tap successfully sparked conversations about drinking water behaviours in Singapore. Outcome evaluation also reflected achievement of all campaign objectives. Future efforts could build on what has been established to encourage more Singapore residents to adopt sustainable water drinking habits.