Do social media influence altruistic and egoistic motivation and green purchase intention towards green products? An experimental investigation

Abstract

New technologies have opened up opportunities for environmentally-friendly companies to reach out to consumers and promote sustainable products. However, there has been limited research on the impact of social media (SM) on consumers' intentions to make green purchases. The purpose of this study is to confirm a structural model and prove the impact of social media on altruistic, egoistic, and consumer intentions. Additionally, the study observe how green attitude affects these relationships as a moderator. We used a questionnaire-based approach and received 254 original responses from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Statistical data was analyzed using a Path analysis approach. The results established the influence of social media on consumer intention as well as altruistic and egoistic values. Besides, altruistic and egoistic values exerted a significant impact on green purchase intention. Results demonstrate a stronger level of acceptance of altruistic value. In addition, attitude had a direct positive influence on intention and exerted a substantial moderating effect between independent constructs and green purchase intention. Overall, the study suggests that SM play a crucial role in shaping consumer choice including their intention in the decision-making process. This study emphasizes the importance for marketers to share information about environmentally friendly products on social media, using e-marketing strategies. It's also crucial to engage with social media communities by providing both altruistic and egoistic information about sustainable purchasing. The research has important implications for practitioners in this field.

Keywords

• Altruistic and egoistic motivation
• Attitude
• Purchase intention
• Social media
• Theory of planned behaviour