Although combating single-use products like tableware seem deterred by hygienic concerns associated with a public health crisis as COVID-19, what exactly consumers perceive about their application before and after the pandemic remains unexamined. This study explores and compares consumers' intentions to reduce their usage of single-use tableware (SUT), the predictors as well as the effect differences of predictors on intentions before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. An extended theory of planned behavior (TPB), greenwashing and past behavior included, serves as the analytical model, while the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach is employed in the model's estimation. The results show that either before or after the outbreak of the pandemic, perceived behavioral control represents the primary driver of consumers' intentions to reduce SUT, followed by subjective norms and attitudes. However, consumers' intentions depend more on their own attitudes than others' opinions after the outbreak. The effect of greenwashing is not found, while past behavior becomes influential on consumers' reduction intentions in the public health crisis. In addition, contrary to the instincts, consumers' intentions to reduce SUT show no statistical difference before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. These findings imply that the common measures of (re-)introducing SUT during the pandemic should not be the only solution given the concerns of public hygiene when consumers are still willing to make efforts to combat single-use materials. The promotion of the consumers' perceived behavioral control, subjective norms or attitudes during this period of time can mitigate the possible wastage of resources and environment-related disasters brought about by the public health crisis.
