Received: 12 September 2017 Revised: 30 May 2018 Accepted: 12 June 2018

DOI: 10.1002/csr.1654

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Millennials' green consumption behaviour: Exploring the role of

social media
Stephanie Anne Nicole Bedard | Carri Reisdorf Tolmie

Martha and Spencer Love School of Business,

Elon University, Elon, NC, USA
Correspondence
Carri Reisdorf Tolmie, Assistant Professor of
International Business, Martha and Spencer
Love School of Business, Elon University,
Koury Business Center, 346C, 2075 Campus
Box, Elon, NC 27244, USA
Email: ctolmie2@elon.edu
Funding information
Elon University Honors Program; Elon Uni-
versity Office of Sustainability
Abstract
Several studies have investigated millennials' perceptions of sustainable products, and
the factors that make these products appealing. Yet insight into the green purchase
intentions of this demographic and influencing factors is limited. This study investigates
the influence of social media usage and online interpersonal influence on green pur-
chase intentions among millennials in the USA. In addition, the study considers how
the cultural dimensions of individualism–collectivism and masculinity–femininity mod-
erate the relationship between social media usage, online interpersonal influence, and
green purchase intentions. Results indicate that social media usage and online interper-
sonal influence have significant, positive relationships with green purchase intentions.
Masculinity was found to exert a weakening effect on the relationships in the study,
while the effects of individualism were found to be insignificant. Results have important
managerial implications for firms' sustainability strategy and provide a framework for
investigating green purchase intentions in additional cultures around the world.

KEY W ORDS

consumption, green purchase intentions, millennials, social media, sustainability

1 | I N T RO D U CT I O N more receptive to ethical issues than other generations. (Bucic et al.,

As millennials age, enter the workforce, and begin families, their con-
sumption patterns are having a greater effect on multinational corpora-
tions. Research into the consumption habits of millennials is vital due to
this generation's increased spending power and prominence in the
global workforce (The Nielsen Company, 2015). Millennials are distin-
guished by their consumption habits (Bucic, Harris, & Arli, 2012), includ-
ing an inclination to sustainable and environmentally friendly (often
marketed as green) products. Previous research has investigated
millennials' motivations for buying green products (Bucic et al., 2012;
Furlow & Knott, 2009; Haws, Winterich, & Naylor, 2014; Lee, 2008,
2010), and the usage and effects of social media as a marketing tool
(Chung & Austria, 2010; Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007; Goldsmith
& Horowitz, 2006; Hajli, 2014); however, there exists a gap in the liter-
ature that explores millennials' use of social media and interpersonal
influence as potential factors driving their consumption behaviour.
Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are the first con-
sumers to grow up in a globally interdependent world, making them
2012). This is partly due to the prominence of the Internet and digital
communication, a vital element of millennials' childhoods and adult
lives. Over 70% of American millennials engage in social networking
platforms, often possessing multiple profiles on different websites
and mobile applications (The Nielsen Company, 2015). Social media
is indispensable to the daily lives of millennials more so than for any
other generation (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010). Because
of this, researching the effects of social media usage on consumption
preferences is both timely and important. Additionally, millennials'
childhood years correspond with the increase in media representation
regarding concern for the environment and sustainability (Lu, Bock, &
Joseph, 2013). As such, millennials tend to be knowledgeable of envi-
ronmental issues (Schoolman, Shriberg, Schwimmer, & Tysman, 2016).
While public concern for the environment grew significantly in the
1960s, the purchase of environmentally friendly products did not
become a major consumer trend until the 1990s (Lu et al., 2013).
More than simply having knowledge of environmental issues, mil-
lennials apply their knowledge when making purchase decisions and

Corp Soc Resp Env Ma. 2018;1–9. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/csr © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment 1
2 BEDARD AND TOLMIE
are cognizant of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability
(Klimkiewicz & Oltra, 2017). A 2015 Nielsen study found that millennials
are the generation most willing to pay extra for green products, espe-
cially when produced by firms with a record of positive socio‐environ-
mental contributions (The Nielsen Company, 2015). In addition,
millennials seek employers that present clear, positive messages related
to their CSR and sustainability initiatives (Klimkiewicz & Oltra, 2017).
As a result of this, extensive research has examined millennials'
green purchasing behaviour. Several studies have focused on
millennials' motivations to purchase sustainable goods and the effec-
tiveness of green product advertising and labelling (Furlow & Knott,
2009; Lee, 2008; Lu et al., 2013; Smith, 2010), Yet limited research
exists investigating the intersection of social media usage and green
purchase intentions. This study seeks to address this gap by exploring
the following question: How do social media usage and online inter-
personal influence impact millennials' green purchase intentions, and
in what way does culture moderate these relationships? Figure 1 high-
lights the theoretical model we investigate in this paper.
2 | L I T E R A T U R E R E V I E W A ND H Y P O T HE S I S
D E V E L O P M E NT
2.1 | Marketing and sustainable consumption
Firms manufacture and sell green products as environmentally con-
scious consumers are a profitable niche (Suplico, 2009). Research has
addressed how these firms advertise their products and sustainability
initiatives in order to reach this market segment (Lu et al., 2013; Smith
& Brower, 2012). Green products are often designed to be associated
with freshness, cleanliness and nature. For example, clean package
design and presence of the recycle symbol are two effective ways of
marketing green products to millennials (Smith & Brower, 2012). Addi-
tionally, firms frequently publicize their sustainability initiatives to
enhance the green image of their firm separately from specific prod-
ucts (Chamorro & Bañegil, 2006; Dal Maso, Liberatore, & Mazzi,
2017). In addition to environmental friendliness, consumers expect
added benefits from green products, such as cost savings or improved
efficiency (Lu et al., 2013; Zahid, Ali, Ahmad, Thurasamy, & Amin,
2018). Despite firms' efforts to advertise their green products,
FIGURE 1 Research model
millennials remain sceptical of green product advertising due to past
greenwashing attempts whereby firms attempted to appear more
environmentally conscious than they truly were (Lu et al., 2013).
Interestingly, millennials across cultures, nationalities and ethnicities
are similarly conditioned to show ideological preference for green products
(Bucic et al., 2012; Lu et al., 2013). Yet there is little research investigating
millennials' expressed levels of preference for green products versus their
actual purchase decisions (Smith, 2010). For example, millennials may find
it difficult to integrate green behaviour into their daily lives beyond basic
actions such as recycling (Schoolman et al., 2016).
2.2 | Social impact theory
As our study focuses on social media usage and the impact of online influ-
ence, social impact theory was used to ground the hypotheses. This theory
holds importance in both the fields of interpersonal influence and group
behavior (Jackson, 1987). Social impact theory was first developed by Bibb
Latané (1981) to measure social influence and posits this concept as a
“force field” whose potential impact is governed by three social factors:
• the number of people contributing to the information source;
• the information source's closeness to the receiver;
• the ties between the information source and the receiver (Latané,
1981).
Social impact theory allows for a more quantitative approach to the
study of opinion formation and interpersonal influence (Hołyst,
Kacperski, & Schweitzer, 2000). Latané argued that individuals are
more likely to be influenced by nearby rather than faraway sources,
and that the likelihood that a person will respond to social influence
increases with number, immediacy and strength (Latané, 1996). Addi-
tionally, Latané's research found that both majorities and minorities
are able to influence opinion using the forces of conformity and inno-
vation, respectively, whereas most research on social influence has
focused solely on the influencing power of majorities (Latané & Wolf,
1981). Social media impact theory also predicts that behaviours that
were once somewhat randomly distributed can become clustered
and correlated (Latané, 1996). This theory has been found to be suit-
able for application to group dynamics (Nowak, Szamrej, & Latané,
1990), making it an appropriate choice for the study of millennials.
BEDARD AND TOLMIE
2.3 | Social media and consumption
Social media revolutionized how consumers and firms communicate
about green and non‐green products, allowing consumers a more
interactive and collaborative purchase experience (Singh
Sonnenburg, 2012; Wang, Yu, & Wei, 2012). Firms are seeking
increased presence across various social media to engage consumers
through digital channels. In particular, millennials prefer green firms
that possess a strong online presence (Smith & Brower, 2012).
Consumers use social media primarily to acquire and consume
information related to products (Heinonen, 2011). Thus, a firm's
online presence is vital to consumers' ultimate purchase decisions.
Social media interactions affect purchase decisions both directly (by
encouraging consumers to conform to peers) and indirectly (by
increasing the amount of time spent thinking about and researching
a product) (Wang et al., 2012). Additionally, social media interactions
are positively related with brand trust and product attitude (Hajli,
2014; Wang et al., 2012). Due to the interactive nature of social
media mentioned earlier (Singh & Sonnenburg, 2012), both firms
and peer networks play an active role in influencing millennials'
purchase decisions.
Social impact theory is used to examine social media usage as
social media possess an abundance of populated networks, strong vir-
tual proximities, and user‐generated content. Social media unites
information sources and receivers despite barriers of space and time,
and allows for strong ties to be created between individuals despite
lack of in‐person communication (Chung & Austria, 2010). Li, Lee,
and Lien (2012) observed that messages created and received via
social media can increase purchase intentions. Additionally, consumers
are likely to gain trust for a green brand through frequent, positive
experiences offered through social media channels (Kang & Hur,
2012). Thus, social impact theory posits that social media usage pos-
sesses high potential for impact in a decisional relationship. As a result,
it is hypothesized that:
H1 Social media usage is positively related to green pur-
chase intentions.
2.4 | Online interpersonal influence
Millennials share product reviews, ratings and usage experiences
online more than members of any other generation. As such, they
are often knowledgeable about products being purchased by peers
and members of their online networks (McCorkindale, DiStaso, &
Sisco, 2013). Frequent online exposure to their peers' purchase deci-
sions can affect millennials' purchase intentions.
Traditional, face‐to‐face conversational interpersonal influence is
known to impact consumer behavior (Khare, 2014). This social influ-
ence can also be exerted digitally, at which point it becomes online
interpersonal influence, also known as electronic word‐of‐mouth
(eWOM) or word‐of‐mouse (Goldsmith & Horowitz, 2006). Online
interpersonal influence can be very impactful in a decisional relation-
ship, as consumers can share reviews instantly to diverse audiences
using social media, mass retailing websites such as Amazon, and firm
websites.
3
Online interpersonal influence should be distinguished from tradi-
tional interpersonal influence. Online channels allow an individual to
influence large populations with limited exertion, and allow for flexible
approaches (Subramani & Rajagopalan, 2003). Online interpersonal
&
influence can be more effective than direct advertising campaigns, as
consumers trust their peers to reduce risks and secure lower prices
(Goldsmith & Horowitz, 2006). Consumers view those within their
networks as knowledgeable helpers rather than biased agents of a par-
ticular firm or brand (Subramani & Rajagopalan, 2003). Individuals look
to social networks as a source of behavioural cues, thus increasing the
likelihood of online interpersonal influence impacting purchase
decisions.
In this particular study, online interpersonal influence refers to the
influence exerted by one's personal digital network. A personal
network is a set of family members, friends, colleagues, peers, and
others with whom an individual is connected. Networks are defined
by dimensions such as friendship and support, and influence behaviour
by providing information, persuasion, and access to innovation
(Valente & Saba, 1998). Because social media enables the lives of
millennials and expose them to peer buying behaviour, it is important
to consider online interpersonal influence when studying millennials'
consumption habits (McCorkindale et al., 2013).
The potential effects of online interpersonal influence can be pre-
dicted by applying the three factors of social impact theory. Digital
networks allow multiple, diverse creators to share opinions of a prod-
uct or experience (Chung & Austria, 2010). Because millennials are fre-
quent users of the Internet and social media, they are likely to feel
connected to the individuals within their personal online networks.
Thus, social impact theory predicts that online interpersonal influence
has the potential to be highly impactful in millennials' purchase deci-
sions. As a result, we argue that:
H2 Online interpersonal influence is positively related to
green purchase intentions.
2.5 | The vital role of culture
Literature in green marketing and consumption has identified the
imperative role that culture plays in influencing purchase intentions.
Packalen found that culture determines the prominence of and sup-
port for sustainability in society (Packalén, 2010). Additional research
has found that culture has significant effects on ethical beliefs and
consumer evaluations of firms' green initiatives, to the point that man-
agers should be aware of national cultural values (del Mar Miras‐
Rodríguez, Carrasco‐Gallego, & Escobar‐Pérez, 2015; Hur & Kim,
2017). As consumers' motivational attitudes are a reflection of their
state of ethical awareness, it is important to consider the role of cul-
ture in influencing purchase intentions. Recognizing this, research on
millennials and consumption often operationalizes cultural dimensions.
One categorization of national cultural values that is frequently
employed is Hofstede's seminal 1980 study (Bucic et al., 2012;
Hofstede, 1980; Suplico, 2009; Tavakoli, Keenan, & Cranjak‐
Karanovic, 2003; Wu, 2006). While millennials share certain character-
istics seemingly regardless of national origin or culture, scholarship has
found links between national culture and specific consumption habits
(Bucic et al., 2012).
4 BEDARD AND TOLMIE
This study employs the cultural dimensions of masculinity–femi-
ninity and individualism–collectivism as defined by Hofstede, as the
USA is traditionally categorized as possessing a masculine, individual-
istic culture (Hofstede, 1980). The first dimension was included due
to the emphasis masculine cultures place on consumption decisions,
and more specifically, on material acquisitions and demonstrations of
wealth. The latter dimension was chosen as individualistic cultures
encourage members to place personal happiness and success above
communal well‐being, which can be expressed through an individual's
consumption habits (Ahuvia, 2002).
The three pillars of social impact theory can be utilized to predict
the influence of culture in a decisional relationship. First, culture is cre-
ated and sustained by numerous creators. Second, information
receivers are likely to be both close in proximity, and have strong ties
to cultural dimensions due to their immersive experience of living in
that culture. Thus, social impact theory posits that cultural standards
are strong sources of information likely to be considered by informa-
tion receivers, in this case, inhabitants of the USA.
Hofstede's individualism–collectivism spectrum refers to the
extent to which citizens of a country are group‐oriented or individual-
ist. Hofstede defines this as the preference for tightly knit or loosely
knit social frameworks (Hofstede, 1980). Consumers in collectivist cul-
tures possess more altruistic and others‐oriented consumption habits
(Evanschitzky et al., 2014). This suggests that individuals of collectivist
cultures are more likely to consider the effects of a purchase decision
on family, peers and community. Thus, the individualism–collectivism
spectrum can affect purchase intentions by influencing the extent to
which an individual considers the environmental and communal
effects of purchasing a green or non‐green product. Previous research
asserted that collectivist‐minded consumers are more likely to harmo-
nize with a firm's sustainability programmes (Hur & Kim, 2017).
Hofstede assigned the USA a score of 91 on the individualism–collec-
tivism spectrum, suggesting a strong preference for individualism
(Hofstede, 1980). Thus, we hypothesize the following:
H3 Individualism will moderate the relationship between
social media usage and green purchase intentions, such
that in high individualistic cultures, this relationship will
be weakened.
Hofstede defines the masculinity–femininity scale as measuring
a society's preference for achievement and material rewards rather
than cooperation and quality of life. Masculine cultures tend to be
more competition‐oriented and feminine societies tend to be more
consensus‐oriented (Hofstede, 1980). As feminine societies show
preference for harmony, cooperation and quality of life (Hofstede,
1980), it can be hypothesized that individuals of a feminine culture
will be more willing to purchase sustainable goods. Hofstede
assigned the USA a score of 62 on the masculinity–femininity
spectrum, suggesting a preference for masculinity. Thus, we predict
that:
H4 Masculinity will moderate the relationship between
online interpersonal influence and green purchase inten-
tions, such that in high individualistic cultures, this rela-
tionship will be weakened.
3 | R E S E A RC H D E S I G N
3.1 | Measurement of variables
3.1.1 | Independent variables
Social media usage and online interpersonal influence were con-
structed and measured separately in both the survey and analysis.
The construct for social media usage was created from seven ques-
tions taken from previously established scales (Hughes, Rowe, Batey,
& Lee, 2012; Wang et al., 2012). Sample statements included “I use
social media to find and spread information” and “I talk with my peers
about products on social media.” After each statement, participants
were asked to rate their agreement using a five‐point Likert scale (1
being “Strongly disagree” to 5 being “Strongly agree”). The construct
for online interpersonal influence was created from eight questions
taken from previously established scales (Bearden & Etzel, 1982;
Bearden, Netemeyer, & Teel, 1989). The questions assessed
millennials' susceptibility to the influence of digital networks and
how they use information provided by these networks for consump-
tion‐related activities. Sample statements included “I seek information
from other consumers online” and “I seek information from other con-
sumers online because my peers seek out information electronically.”
Participants rated each statement using an identical five‐point Likert
scale. Both independent variables (social media usage and susceptibil-
ity to online interpersonal influence) were constructed and measured
separately using 15 questions from previously established scales.
3.1.2 | Dependent variable
Green purchase intentions is defined as millennials' interest in and
intentions to purchase green products or make consumption decisions
influenced by concern for the environment. The construct for green
purchase intentions was created using 15 questions taken from scales
established by Ling‐Yee (1997) and Straughan and Roberts (1999).
Sample statements included “Over the next 30 days, I plan to switch
to a green version of a product” and “I normally make a conscious
effort to limit my use of products that are made of or use scarce
resources.” Participants rated each statement using a five‐point Likert
scale.
3.1.3 | Moderators
Culture was operationalized using Hofstede's (1980) seminal study on
national culture. Hofstede's study identified six cultural dimensions
and assigned countries a numeric value between 0 and 100 for each
dimension. The two dimensions of individualism–collectivism and fem-
ininity–masculinity were included in this study as moderators. On
Hofstede's 0–100 scale, the USA was assigned a value of 91, indicat-
ing a strong preference for individualism. The femininity–masculinity
dimension is defined as society's preference for achievement and
material rewards rather than cooperation and quality of life. The
USA was assigned a value of 62, suggesting a slight preference for
masculinity and achievement‐orientation (Hofstede, 1980). Hofstede's
cultural dimensions are group‐level constructs based on societies
(Hofstede, 1980). This presents a conflict in levels of analysis, as data
was collected at the individual level. Yet previous studies in consumer
BEDARD AND TOLMIE 5

behaviour have navigated this barrier and used Hofstede's dimensions
successfully (Pookulangara & Koesler, 2011; Shukla, 2011; Tavakoli
et al., 2003; Wu, 2006). Our survey instrument included questions
from Hofstede's original questionnaire to measure millennial cultural
leanings. Participants answered questions from Hofstede's original
1980 study that measured individualism and masculinity. Participants'
responses to the original Hofstede questions were analyzed, with each
participant eventually being assigned a numerical value for individual-
ism–collectivism and a numerical value for masculinity–feminism
based on the instructions in the Hofstede Values Survey Module
(Hofstede & Minkov, 2013). This method was utilized to account for
individual variance in our sample, in addition to being certain we uti-
lized the correct level of analysis (Venaik & Brewer, 2013). The numer-
ical values calculated were in alignment with the original values
assigned to the USA as part of Hofstede's study; however, those
whose calculated value fell outside of the 0–100 range on either the
masculinity–femininity or individualism–collectivism scale were desig-
nated as cultural outliers and were omitted from the study.
3.1.4 | Controls
Certain factors have been found to predict green purchase intentions
among millennials. Female millennials are more likely to be environ-
mentally conscious and scrutinizing products advertised as sustainable
(Bucic et al., 2012; Furlow & Knott, 2009). Additionally, millennials
tend to demonstrate green purchasing habits in direct proportion to
their level of income and education (Suplico, 2009). Thus, income, gen-
der and education were included as controls in the regression model.
4 | METHOD
The survey method was selected because of its prominent usage in
existing literature on millennials' consumption and purchase intentions
(Furlow & Knott, 2009; Lee, 2010; Lu et al., 2013; Montague &
Mukherjee, 2010; Suplico, 2009). Data was collected using Amazon's
Mechanical Turk service. Mechanical Turk is a web‐based recruitment
service that rewards participants for completing tasks with a small
monetary payment. While Mechanical Turk is a relatively new service,
it has been validated by several studies which show that data obtained
via Mechanical Turk are at least as reliable, if not more reliable, than
those obtained via traditional methods (Buhrmester, Kwang, &
Gosling, 2011; Paolacci, Chandler, & Ipeirotis, 2010). Additional data
obtained via Mechanical Turk have been found to be significantly
more diverse than typical American college samples (Buhrmester
et al., 2011). Using Mechanical Turk allowed for data to be collected
from participants spanning the entire millennial age range rather than
limiting the sample to the ages of college students.
Overall, 212 surveys were completed by Mechanical Turk partici-
pants. Each survey participant was paid fifty cents ($0.50 USD) for
their successful completion of the survey. Mechanical Turk does not
allow survey creators to screen respondents by age; however, partici-
pants were asked to indicate their birth year in the first question in the
survey. Those who indicated a birth year outside of the millennial
range (1980–2000) were compensated for their participation; how-
ever, they were not given the remainder of the survey nor were they
included in the final sample. Additionally, the survey included two
attention filters to ensure participants were paying careful attention
to and reading survey questions thoroughly. After removing partici-
pants born outside the millennial range, participants who failed the
attention checks, and cultural outliers, or those who indicated cultural
values in contrast with the national values identified by Hofstede
(Hofstede, 1980), the final sample consisted of 131 participants;
31% was female and 69% was male.
5 | RESULTS
This research focuses on the relationships between social media
usage, online interpersonal influence, and green purchase intentions
among millennials. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal
reliability of the survey instrument. The resulting values ranged from
0.742–0.935, which was within the acceptable range (Nunnally &
Bernstein, 1994). Due to the multivariate context of the variables, lin-
ear correlation and regression analysis were used to test the hypothe-
sized relationships. Before testing the models, collinearity among the
variables in the study was tested. The correlation matrix is shown in
Table 1.
SPSS software was used to run the regression analysis for direct
effects and moderation effects. The hypothesized model was esti-
mated using regression analysis (Table 2). Analysis revealed that social
media usage has a significant effect on green purchase intentions
(β = 0.183, p = 0.046), supporting H1. Therefore, social media usage

TABLE 1 Descriptive statistics and correlations

Mean SD Alpha 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1. Social Media Usage 3.41 0.966 0.886 1

2. Online interpersonal influence 3.61 0.614 0.742 0.462** 1
3. Green Purchase Intentions 3.39 0.981 0.935 0.341** 0.312** 1
4. Individualism 43.44 32.05 0.813 −0.019 −0.001 −0.021 1
5. Masculinity 33.78 31.72 0.826 0.074 0.040 −0.179** 0.007 1
6. Income 0.152 0.099 0.301** −0.022 −0.023 1
7. Gender 0.035 0.117 0.142 −0.183* −0.145 0.098 1
8, Age 0.079 −0.035 0.026 0.014 0.017 −0.085 0.029 1

**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2‐tailed).

*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2‐tailed).
6 BEDARD AND TOLMIE

TABLE 2 Results

(Model 1) (Model 2) (Model 3)

Income 0.11 (0.16) 0.11 (0.16) 0.11 (0.16)
Gender 0.29* (0.06) 0.29* (0.05) 0.29* (0.06)
Age 0.00 (0.15) 0.00 (0.15) 0.00 (0.15)
Social Media Usage 0.22** (0.05) 0.37** (0.09)
Online interpersonal influence 0.18* (0.07) 0.33** (0.14)
Social Media Usage x Individualism −0.01 (0.00)
Social Media Usage x Masculinity −0.19* (0.00)
Online interpersonal influence x Collectivism −0.00 (0.00)
Online interpersonal influence x Masculinity −0.20* (0.00)
N 131 131 131
Model F Statistic 6.96** 5.96** 5.65**
R2 0.186 0.188 0.178

**P < 0.01. *P < 0.05; † P < 0.08.

Numbers in parenthesis represent standard errors.
Model Control Variables Include: Income, Gender, Age.

will lead to higher green purchase intentions. Additionally, regression
results found that online interpersonal influence has a significant rela-
tionship with green purchase intentions (β = 0.223, p = 0.015),
supporting H2. This indicates that consumers who are more influ-
enced by their digital peer network are likely to possess higher green
purchase intentions.
Analysis did not identify a significant moderating relationship
between individualism and green purchase intentions, rejecting H3
(β = −0.012, p = 0.893; β = −0.001, p = 0.992). Therefore, the cultural
dimension of individualism–collectivism does not have a direct moder-
ating influence on the relationships between social media usage,
online interpersonal influence and green purchase intentions. How-
ever, the relationship between social media usage and purchase inten-
tions was weakened by masculinity (β = −0.194, p = 0.023) (Figure 2),
supporting H3. Masculinity also dampened the positive relationship
between online interpersonal influence and purchase intentions
(β = −0.200, p = 0.018), in support of H4. We plotted this effect
(Figure 3) in order to visually interpret this relationship, making it
easier to comprehend (Dawson, 2014). It is evident that masculinity
has a weakening effect on the relationships between social media
usage, online interpersonal influence and green purchase intentions.
Overall, the percentage of variance explained by the variables was
18.6% and is statistically significant.
6 | DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Firms invest resources into discovering the most effective methods
influencing millennials. Despite the wealth of research on the factors
that make green products appealing to millennials, limited research
exists on the specific factors that increase millennials' green purchase
intentions beyond social influence and concern for the environment
(Lee, 2008). This research contributes to the field of literature by
examining the unique intersection of millennials, social media and
green consumption.

FIGURE 2 Interaction Effects [Colour figure

can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
BEDARD AND TOLMIE
FIGURE 3 Interaction Effects [Colour figure
can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]
The results show a positive relationship between levels of social
media usage and levels of green purchase intentions, confirming that
social media usage is positively related to green purchase intentions
(H1). Firms should consider investing additional resources to increase
social media engagement and awareness of their green products, as
social media users are more likely to have high green purchase inten-
tions. Firms can consider allocating additional funds to their social
media strategies, offering exclusive promotions via social media, or
investing in influencers to target millennials and increase channel
dynamism.
Additionally, this study found a positive relationship between
levels of online interpersonal influence and levels of green purchase
intentions, confirming that online interpersonal influence is positively
related to green purchase intentions (H2). Thus, it can be interpreted
that digital interactions between consumers is important to overall
green consumption. Firms can benefit from facilitating digital dialogue
between their firm and consumers, and among consumers. For exam-
ple, green firms can reward customers for creating content, such as
leaving online reviews or participating in digital forums. Consumer par-
ticipation will increase the number of individuals contributing to the
source, thus increasing the potential impact of digital messages. These
interactions will create a dynamic virtual community for firms, foster-
ing a positive online interpersonal influence.
The results suggest that the individualism–collectivism dimension
does not play a significant role in moderating green purchase intent,
refuting H3. We believe that while the USA has historically been an
individualistic country, millennials' expression of this value may be
tempered due to high exposure to the global community. Further
research is necessary to determine whether green companies can
profit by targeting consumers based on levels of individualism.
Analysis found that the masculinity–femininity spectrum plays a
significant role in weakening the relationships between online inter-
personal influence, social media usage and green purchase intentions,
supporting H4. This suggests that masculine millennials, who show
preference for achievement and material demonstrations of wealth,
are less inclined to purchase green products. Firms can target feminine
cultures, which emphasize cooperation and quality of life, while also
offering green luxury items (e.g. high‐end electric cars) to masculine
cultures.
7
The study found that millennials' purchase intentions are con-
nected to their online social activity. Thus, a dynamic digital presence
is necessary not only for firms offering green products, but for all firms
targeting millennials as a strategic market segment. Additionally, the
research confirms previous findings that millennials who report high
income levels are associated with higher levels of green purchase
intentions (Suplico, 2009). Thus, firms can consider focusing their mar-
keting activities on more affluent millennials.
Overall, social media usage and online interpersonal influence
were found to have positive relationships with green purchase inten-
tions. Thus, millennials who use social media frequently for consump-
tion‐related activities, and who participate in online interpersonal
dialogue regarding these activities, may be more likely to purchase
green products. Firms can use this result to create an integrated digital
strategy that spans multiple social media and facilitates online dialogue
among millennial consumers. Overall, 18.6% of green purchase inten-
tions variance was explained by the variables. This confirms that social
media usage and online interpersonal influence are indeed two pieces
of the green consumption behaviour puzzle. Variables not included in
the current study due to scope limitations are most likely responsible
for the additional variation, which suggests that firms must explore
other methods of attracting millennials to their green products in addi-
tion to digital experience. These factors could include brand experi-
ence, brand loyalty, packaging and pricing.
6.1 | Limitations
This study was limited by the small sample (n = 131) used for analysis.
Future research could benefit from a larger sample size with higher
power. Additionally, the study accounts for purchase intentions and
not actual purchase decisions. A future study could survey participants
for past or actual green purchase decisions. Collecting data using
crowdsourcing via Amazon Mechanical Turk limited participants to
those with Internet access and the technological awareness necessary
to become a Mechanical Turk respondent (Goodman & Paolacci,
2017). Research has found that economically motivated participants
have occasionally forged false identities to participate in surveys
(Sharpe Wessling, Huber, & Netzer, 2017); therefore, a future study
may benefit from employing a more traditional method of data
8 BEDARD AND TOLMIE
collection. The authors attempted to mitigate this risk by compensat-
ing each survey participant, regardless of their inclusion in the final
sample. For example, participants who failed quality control checks
and those participants outside the millennial age range were compen-
sated for their participation, even although their data was excluded
from the final sample. Finally, although the threat of socially desirable
responding was limited through assured anonymity, there is the possi-
bility that data concerning environmental friendliness may have been
subject to social desirability bias (Fisher, 1993).
6.2 | Areas for future research
This study leads to several avenues for future research within green
consumption. First, studying the green consumption preferences of
other generations such as baby boomers (those born throughout
1946 – 1964) or of Generation X (those born throughout 1965 –
1979) would give an insight into trends among a wider consumer base.
Expanding the geographic scope of the study beyond the USA would
provide insight of green consumption in countries with widely differ-
ent cultural values and economies. For example, comparing a collectiv-
ist‐leaning country (such as China) with an individualist‐leaning
country (such as the USA) could further refine the influence of culture
on purchase intentions. Other countries of research interest include
those subject to significant international trade agreements such as
members of the European Union. In addition, future studies could
investigate specific social media platforms (such as Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat), and the groups and communities
to which individuals belong within these platforms, to explore which
have the strongest influence on green purchase intentions. Future
studies could include an experimental survey design in their data col-
lection which includes social media advertisements and product
reviews. The role of social media influencers is also a worthwhile topic
for future studies. Finally, research investigating additional variables
such as brand experience, packaging,and pricing is necessary to iden-
tify the remaining pieces of the millennials' green purchase intentions
puzzle.
ORCID
Stephanie Anne Nicole Bedard http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8288-
3403
Carri Reisdorf Tolmie http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0098-8920
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How to cite this article: Bedard SAN, Tolmie CR. Millennials'
green consumption behaviour: exploring the role of social
media. Corp Soc Resp Env Ma. 2018;1–10. https://doi.org/
10.1002/csr.1654