The role of planned behavior in the effect of environmental awareness and social media on green product purchase intention

The primary objective of this study is to examine the effects of environmental consciousness and social media on green product purchase intention, and to explore the mediating role of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in this relationship. The sub-objectives include identifying the direct effects of environmental consciousness and social media on green product purchase intention; analyzing the influence of TPB components—attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—on purchase intention; and revealing the mediating roles of these components. The research was conducted on consumers aged 18 and over who use social media in Turkey. Due to its accessibility and cost-effectiveness, convenience sampling was used, and data were collected from 1,548 participants through an online survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 4 software. Through factor analyses, subdimensions of the independent, mediating, and dependent variables were identified. Environmental consciousness was operationalized through green thinking and green product knowledge; social media was measured through social media interaction and usage; the mediating variable—planned behavior—was examined through attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; and the dependent variable, green product purchase intention, was assessed as a unidimensional construct. According to the research findings, social media use, social media interaction, and green thinking have positive and significant effects on green product purchase intention. Additionally, it was found that attitude and perceived behavioral control mediate the relationship between both environmental consciousness and social media with purchase intention, while subjective norm does not exhibit any mediating effect. The findings indicate that environmental consciousness and social media play an effective role in promoting sustainable consumption behaviors and that the Theory of Planned Behavior provides an important explanatory framework in this process.