Green consumption or underconsumption. The effect of de-influencing in consumers’ decisions

Greenfluencers, regarded as significant promoters of sustainable behaviors and eco-friendly consumption, have begun to adopt a dual and, in some respects, controversial approach. They simultaneously encourage the purchase of green products while advocating for reduced consumption (de-influencing), raising questions about the effectiveness and direction of their influence in fostering sustainable consumption. This study investigates the antecedents of consumers’ intention to follow the advice of greenfluencers and examines which type of advice - temperance oriented behavior or green purchase behavior - consumers are more likely to adopt. Using an online survey with 500 Italian consumers who follow greenfluencers, we tested a structural model assessing the influence of trust and similarity on intention to follow the advice, and the subsequent impact of this intention on temperance-oriented behavior and green purchasing behavior. The results support all the research hypotheses, demonstrating how greenfluencers are able to influence followers’ decision-making patterns in a two-fold way: encouraging both green purchasing behaviors and underconsumption behaviors. Theoretically, findings extend the literature by introducing similarity as a key antecedent of behavioral intention in the greenfluencer context and highlighting de-influencing as an important area for further research. Managerially, the study suggests that greenfluencers, brands, and content creators should emphasize temperance oriented communication strategies to more effectively promote sustainable consumption.