How virtual influencers on social media shape consumers’ purchase intention toward organic food: the mediating role of consumer engagement

Introduction With the rapid development of social media, virtual influencers have emerged as an important information source in brand communication and digital marketing, demonstrating considerable potential in promoting sustainable consumption, such as organic food. However, empirical research examining how virtual influencer characteristics influence consumers’ purchase intention toward organic food and the underlying psychological mechanisms remains limited. Methods Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, this study develops a theoretical model linking virtual influencer characteristics, consumer engagement, and organic food purchase intention, and systematically investigates the effects of attractiveness, authenticity, and trustworthiness on consumers’ purchase intention. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected through an online survey, yielding 447 valid responses. Results Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses, and a bias-corrected bootstrap procedure was applied to examine the mediating effects. The results indicate that attractiveness, authenticity, and trustworthiness of virtual influencers all exert significant positive effects on consumer engagement, with trustworthiness showing the strongest influence. Consumer engagement, in turn, has a significant positive effect on purchase intention toward organic food. Further mediation analysis reveals that consumer engagement partially mediates the relationships between virtual influencer characteristics and organic food purchase intention. Discussion The findings extend existing research on virtual influencers by situating it within the context of organic food and sustainable consumption, and deepen the understanding of consumer engagement as a key psychological mechanism in digital marketing. From a practical perspective, the study provides implications for organic food companies and social media marketing strategies, highlighting the importance of enhancing virtual influencers’ trustworthiness, attractiveness, and authenticity to stimulate consumer engagement and, ultimately, strengthen purchase intention.