Trash Talk: How Malaysian Zero Waste Influencers Shape Sustainable Habits

In recent years, social media platforms have witnessed a surge in discussions centered around sustainability, leading to an increased interest in eco-conscious living among users. Malaysia, in particular, has seen a significant rise in the influence of "zero waste influencers," who actively promote and advocate for sustainable practices through engaging content and practical guidance, gaining significant followings and impacting eco-conscious decisions among their audiences. This study employs the Source Credibility Theory to investigate how expertise, trustworthiness, and attractiveness of zero waste influencers affect parasocial relationships with their followers. This study also examines the impact of parasocial relationships with zero waste influencers on followers' attitudes towards sustainable consumption and subsequently followers' intentions to engage in sustainable consumption behaviors. Results from a quantitative survey conducted in Malaysia revealed that expertise and trustworthiness emerged as significant predictors of parasocial relationships with zero waste influencers, while attractiveness did not show a significant impact. Additionally, the study found a positive correlation between parasocial relationships and attitudes toward sustainable consumption, which in turn positively influenced intentions to engage in sustainable consumption behaviors. Perceived environmental knowledge acted as a mediator in the relationship between parasocial relationships with zero waste influencers and followers' attitudes toward sustainable consumption. The theoretical implications of this research highlight the role of parasocial relationships in shaping attitudes and intentions toward sustainable consumption, providing empirical evidence of how zero waste influencers influence consumer behavior. Furthermore, the study suggests that trustworthiness and expertise are more influential than attractiveness in fostering parasocial relationships, indicating a shift in consumer values towards reliability and content quality in sustainability contexts