Boosting water conservation in shower behaviour: the impact of implementation intentions

“In response to escalating water scarcity, water conservation behaviours in households is of vital importance in many parts of the world. This large scale field experiment investigates the efficacy of three behavioural influencing tactics in reducing water consumption during showering: (i) knowledge transfer; (ii) nudging; and—a novelty in the literature—(iii) implementation intentions. The latter, rooted in the Theory of Planned Behaviour, offers a novel approach to bridging the intention-behaviour gap by focusing on the implementation of behaviour. These intentions, typically formulated as if–then plans, provide specific cues to prompt desired actions, transferring control from the self to the environment. The results of this study reveal promising trends, with households in the implementation intention group exhibiting a 6% reduction in water consumption compared to the control group 2 weeks post-intervention. Noteworthy reductions in water consumption were also observed among active participants in both the implementation intention and nudge group, exhibiting average reductions of 8.6% and 7.6%, respectively, compared to the control group at the same juncture. These findings emphasize the potential of behaviour change techniques that respond to the impulsive route, i.e., system 1, in inducing short-term reductions in household water consumption. How to sustain these effects over time necessitates further investigation. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners endeavouring to address water scarcity and promote sustainable water management practices within households.”

(Citaat: Salmon, S.J., Brouwer, S. Boosting water conservation in shower behaviour: the impact of implementation intentions – Sustainable Water Resources Management 56(2025)3, art. no. 56 – DOI: 10.1007/s40899-025-01235-2