Empowering plastic recycling: Empirical investigation on the influence of social media on consumer behavior

Plastic pollution is widespread globally, and consumers play a crucial role in reducing the pollution produced by plastic waste. Although many studies have analyzed and estimated the intentions or behavior of recycling, relatively few studies have specifically focused on plastic. Moreover, we have little understanding of how technology (e.g., social media) has changed and can change consumer behavior related to plastic pollution. Therefore, this study expands our comprehension of which factors interact with consumers' behavior and intention to recycle plastics, extending knowledge of the influence of social media on consumer behavior. Through two analyses conducted on a sample of four hundred and sixty-seven American consumers, we reveal that attitudes, followed by perceived control and peer influence, positively impact consumers' intentions to recycle plastic. However, the influence of social media turns out to be significant only when examined on the cluster of consumers exposed to plastic recycling-themed content on their social media feeds. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that intentions are a crucial underlying determinant in the manifestation of plastic recycling behavior (Direct Behavior) and support for diffusion through political and administrative interventions (Indirect Behavior). Finally, the parametric and PLS-MGA tests show a significant difference in the influence of social media on demographic clusters. Thus, this study provides theoretical and practical implications for plastic recycling frameworks.