What Drives Gen Z Women to Buy Sustainable Products? The Role of Influencer Attributes and Consumer Attitude Robetmi Jumpakita Pinem, Moh Zaenal Affroni, Dinalestari Purbawati, Pan Guangmi
1,2,3 Department of Business Administration, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia
4 Department of International Trade, Kwangwoon University, South Korea
Abstract
This study examined the influence of influencer attributes on sustainable purchase intention among Generation Z women and the mediating role of consumer attitude. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 Generation Z women who use social media and are familiar with sustainable products and influencer-generated content. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Influencer attributes had positive and significant effects on both consumer attitude and sustainable purchase intention. Consumer attitude also had a positive and significant effect on sustainable purchase intention and emerged as the strongest predictor in the model. In addition, consumer attitude mediated the relationship between influencer attributes and sustainable purchase intention, indicating partial mediation. By integrating the Source Credibility perspective with the attitude-intention mechanism of the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study demonstrates how influencer characteristics are translated into sustainable purchase intentions among Generation Z women. Sustainable brands should prioritize influencers who are perceived as trustworthy, knowledgeable, and attractive and who communicate sustainability-related information effectively to foster favorable consumer evaluations of sustainable products. Although the cross-sectional design and purposive sample limit causal inference and generalizability, future research could examine actual purchase behavior, specific product categories, and additional psychological mechanisms.
Topic: Responsible Digital Entrepreneurship: Fostering Sustainable Business Ecosystems through Innovation and Ethical Governance (Digital Entrepreneurship- Sustainable Ecosystems- Business Innovation)
