Food Waste, Social Media, and Gen Z: A Recipe for Sustainable Consumption
Keywords:
Attitude toward Sustainable Food Consumption, Food Literacy, Informational Posts, Influencer Endorsements, Social Media, Stimulus-Organism-Response Model, Sustainable Consumption BehaviorAbstract
This study examines how social media influences sustainable food literacy among Thai Generation Z. Utilising the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, it investigates the impact of informational posts and influencer endorsements on attitudes toward sustainable food consumption, as well as the subsequent development of meal planning skills, food labeling comprehension, food storage knowledge, and the practical application of sustainability principles. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire distributed on social media platforms used by Thai Gen Z. The sample of 352 Gen Z participated in the online questionnaire process. The findings indicate that influencer endorsements significantly and positively shape attitudes, which, in turn, enhance all four dimensions of sustainable food literacy. Conversely, informational posts show no significant direct or mediated effects. These results highlight that relatable and credible influencers are more effective in promoting sustainable food practices among Gen Z than informational content alone, emphasising the power of culturally engaging, personality-driven communication. The study provides theoretical contribution by refining the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model in the context of social media’s influence on sustainable food literacy among Thai Gen Z. It fills a gap in the literature by differentiating the effects of two social media stimuli, informational posts and influencer endorsements, on attitudes and food literacy behaviours.
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