Media Influence on Sustainable Consumption: Does Exposure to Climate Change Information Matter?

Consumer behavior is recognized by research as a vital component in dealing with climate change. A lot of research focuses on psychological factors such as environmental values, beliefs and efficacy that can affect sustainable behavior. These factors have limited practical implications as they are difficult to alter and change slowly. This study empirically investigates how exposure to information through different media (TV, radio, newspapers, and the Internet) can influence behavior. It suggests that individuals do not live in a vacuum and can be simultaneously exposed to climate change messages as well as information promoting unsustainable lifestyles on the media. The study estimates structural equation models to assess how exposure to climate change information can affect sustainable consumption behaviors, including promotional, accommodating and pro-active behavior (the basic version of the model). It further explores how exposure to information promoting overconsumption can influence sustainable consumption behaviors (the extended version of the model). The study uses the nationally representative sample of Belarusian consumers. The Attitude-Behavior-Context theory together with the analytical framework from Identity Economics is applied as a conceptual basis of this research. The findings reveal that exposure to climate change information has a positive and direct effect on promotional and accommodating actions and through them an indirect positive effect on pro-active behavior. Media serves as a bridge connecting scientific knowledge and everyday decision-making, supporting the knowledge economy’s goal of fostering sustainable consumption practices through information. The research provides insights how governments, businesses and NGOs can use the media to change consumer behavior in the direction of sustainability.