For Palestine or for us too? Examining Indonesian youth’s willingness to buy local products amid the Israel boycott

Purpose The aim of this study is to explore the drivers behind the willingness of Indonesian youth to buy local products as an alternative to Israeli-affiliated products amid geopolitical tensions between Palestine and Israel, using the framework of identity-based motivation theory. Design/methodology/approach This study uses SmartPLS 4 to examine the proposed hypotheses using survey data collected from 307 Indonesian youth, within the context of an ongoing Israel boycott. This dynamic setting allows us to capture real-time and authentic responses of Indonesian youth to socio-political pressures and religious endorsements in their purchasing decisions. Findings The findings challenge the belief that religious altruism alone drives Indonesian youth to buy local products during the Israel boycott. Instead, those with strong religious and ethnocentric values are more likely to support local industries when they believe in the effectiveness of boycotting Israeli-affiliated products. Practical implications The findings offer valuable insights for domestic marketers, policymakers, educators and communities seeking to strengthen local industries in the face of geopolitical tensions. Originality/value This study contributes to the underexplored area of local product consumption by integrating religious, geopolitical and national identity factors through the lens of identity-based motivation theory, offering a novel perspective on the motivational drivers behind Indonesian youth’s willingness to buy local products during a boycott.