Assume you are a store owner and are concerned about the recent bans on single-use plastic bags. Will your business lose money if you do not allow single-use plastic bags in your store? You decide to research this question and find two related articles in the regional news. The first article states that randomly selected stores in Derry, Pennsylvania, that have completely banned single-use plastic bags have lost 25% of their business. In that study, a survey was used and the owners were asked how much business they thought they lost. The survey was conducted by an anonymous group. It was reported in the second article that there had been a modest increase in business among stores that banned single-use plastic bags in that same area. Sales receipts were collected and analyzed against last year’s profits. The second survey was conducted by the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association.
1. How has the single-use plastic bag ban affected the store’s business in Derry, Pennsylvania?
2. Why do you think the surveys reported conflicting results?
3. Should surveys based on anecdotal responses be allowed to be published?
4. Can the results of a sample be representative of a population and still offer misleading information?
5. How critical is measurement error in survey sampling?