Do recycling channels affect young consumers' choices for formal power battery recycling?

Consumers are the starting point for power battery recycling, but it is still unclear what influences their choice of formal recycling channels. Through a structural equation model, this study explored the effects of recycling channels (online and offline), policy incentives, and environmental awareness on young consumers' intention and behavior towards formal power battery recycling (PBR). Our findings reveal the following: (1) There is a significant difference in the distribution of latent variable scores, with an average score ranging between 2.85 and 4.87, with the score for perceived convenience being the lowest. (2) Both online and offline recycling channels improve young consumers' perceived convenience, with a greater effect from offline recycling channels. Perceived convenience mediates the relationship between offline recycling and formal recycling intention. Policy incentives and environmental awareness also significantly increase consumers' intention to formal PBR. (3) Multivariate analysis of gender, age, and income shows that offline recycling channels have a significant positive effect on the perceived convenience of male consumers in choosing formal PBR. In contrast, online recycling channels have a significant positive effect on the perceived convenience of female consumers. Offline recycling channels have a significant positive effect on the perceived convenience of consumers below the age of 30. Online recycling channels significantly affect the perceived convenience of low-income consumers (≤200,000 yuan), while the effect on high-income groups is insignificant. The results of this study can better clarify the mechanism of consumers' choices of formal PBR, providing a basis for the government and enterprises to develop policy measures.