Social media influencers and green buying behavior in emerging market FMCG sectors: Mediating role of brand equity and moderating effects of age and culture among university students

Abstract Social media influencers (SMIs) have become significant drivers of sustainable consumption, particularly among university students in emerging markets. This research explores university students’ SMIs and green buying behavior (GBB) in purchasing decisions. Additionally, we examined the moderate effect of age and culture (CU) in this study. Using a quantitative approach, we sampled 576 university students in Ghana using a purposive approach. The questionnaire was analyzed using SmartPLS-4 software. The study found that exposure to SMIs significantly increased students’ GBB and positively predicted purchase decisions (PDs). However, brand equity (BE) did not mediate the relationship between SMI and GBB. Furthermore, age had a moderate, yet insignificant, association with the relationship between SMIs and GBB. Finally, CU negatively moderates the link between GBB and PD. The study suggests that SMIs can promote sustainable consumption most effectively by building trust and aligning with consumers’ values, rather than relying solely on traditional BE. Marketers should engage credible, value-driven influencers and tailor messages to the cultural background of the target audience to translate eco-friendly attitudes into green purchases.