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Millennial Generation and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Social Media in the Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Wine

Author

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  • Giovanni Sogari

    (Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, 43124 Parma PR, Italy)

  • Tommaso Pucci

    (Department of Business and Law, University of Siena, 53100 Siena SI, Italy)

  • Barbara Aquilani

    (Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Management, University of Tuscia, 01100 Lazio, Viterbo, Italy)

  • Lorenzo Zanni

    (Department of Business and Law, University of Siena, 53100 Siena SI, Italy)

Abstract

In the coming years, social media technology will have a crucial role in environmental involvement and in encouraging sustainable behaviors in the wine industry. Sustainable development is becoming a crucial topic for many consumers. Also, in the wine industry much research has been carried out to decrease the environmental impact, with a particular focus on renewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pesticides reduction, water and waste management, biodiversity, soil and landscape preservation. In recent years, social media technologies have gained increased attention for their potential to amplify environmental concerns and encourage sustainable behaviors among people. This study aims to study the role of social media in the consumer purchasing behavior for wine between the millennial and non-millennial generations. A total sample of 2597 Italian wine consumer responses were collected and a structured questionnaire was used to test our hypothesis. The main results show that the greater the import the consumer places on the product/process dimension of environmental sustainability, the higher the self-selection in market segments. This is true for both millennials and non-millennials. The results show the power of social media to increase sustainability awareness and consecutively influence the consumer’s buying behavior for wine (higher price segment). From a marketing perspective, companies should improve their capacity to share and communicate their environmental activities through social media.

Suggested Citation

  • Giovanni Sogari & Tommaso Pucci & Barbara Aquilani & Lorenzo Zanni, 2017. "Millennial Generation and Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Social Media in the Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Wine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-16, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:10:p:1911-:d:116227
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    Cited by:

    1. Christoph F. Wiedenroth & Verena Otter, 2022. "Can new healthy luxury food products accelerate short food supply chain formation via social media marketing in high-income countries?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-30, December.
    2. María Carmen García-Cortijo & Juan R. Ferrer & Juan Sebastián Castillo-Valero & Vicente Pinilla, 2021. "The Drivers of the Sustainability of Spanish Wineries: Resources and Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-12, September.
    3. Jean‐éric Pelet & Basma Taieb & Benoît Lecat & Nic S Terblanche & Rami Alkhudary, 2023. "Exploring how consumer cooperatives might strategically incorporate social media to distribute wine [Explorer comment les coopératives de consommateurs pourraient intégrer stratégiquement les média," Post-Print hal-04216164, HAL.
    4. Nieves Garcia-Casarejos & Pilar Gargallo & Javier Carroquino, 2018. "Introduction of Renewable Energy in the Spanish Wine Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    5. Svetlana Ignjatijević & Jelena Vapa Tankosić & Nemanja Lekić & Duško Petrović & Sandra Brkanlić & Bojan Vapa & Vladimir Tomašević & Nikola Puvača & Radivoj Prodanović & Irena Milojević, 2022. "Agro-Environmental Practices and Business Performance in the Wine Sector," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, February.
    6. Xuan Gong & Yunchan Zhu & Rizwan Ali & Ruijin Guo, 2019. "Capturing Associations and Sustainable Competitiveness of Brands from Social Tags," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Costanza Nosi & Tommaso Pucci & Cecilia Silvestri & Barbara Aquilani, 2017. "Does Value Co-Creation Really Matter? An Investigation of Italian Millennials Intention to Buy Electric Cars," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-21, November.
    8. Tim Baird & C. Michael Hall & Pavel Castka, 2018. "New Zealand Winegrowers Attitudes and Behaviours towards Wine Tourism and Sustainable Winegrowing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-23, March.
    9. Elena-Madalina Vatamanescu & Vlad-Andrei Alexandru & Georgiana Cristea & Loredana Radu & Oana Chirica, 2018. "A Demand-Side Perspective of Bioeconomy: The Influence of Online Intellectual Capital on Consumption," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 20(49), pages 536-536, August.
    10. Wang, Xueqin & Wong, Yiik Diew & Li, Kevin X. & Yuen, Kum Fai, 2021. "Shipping industry's sustainability communications to public in social media: A longitudinal analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 123-134.
    11. Marc Dressler & Ivan Paunovic, 2021. "A Typology of Winery SME Brand Strategies with Implications for Sustainability Communication and Co-Creation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Judit Oláh & Nemer Aburumman & József Popp & Muhammad Asif Khan & Hossam Haddad & Nicodemus Kitukutha, 2020. "Impact of Industry 4.0 on Environmental Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, June.
    13. Marcello Stanco & Marco Lerro, 2020. "Consumers’ Preferences for and Perception of CSR Initiatives in the Wine Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-13, June.
    14. Nicola Casolani & Emilio Chiodo & Lolita Liberatore, 2023. "Continuous Improvement of VIVA-Certified Wines: Analysis and Perspective of Greenhouse Gas Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    15. Seung-hye Jung & Joon-ho Kim & Ha-na Cho & Hae-won Lee & Hyun-ju Choi, 2021. "Brand Personality of Korean Dance and Sustainable Behavioral Intention of Global Consumers in Four Countries: Focusing on the Technological Acceptance Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    16. Cristina Gómez-Román & Maria Luisa Lima & Gloria Seoane & Mónica Alzate & Marcos Dono & José-Manuel Sabucedo, 2020. "Testing Common Knowledge: Are Northern Europeans and Millennials More Concerned about the Environment?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    17. repec:aud:audfin:v:20:y:2018:i:49:p:536 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Silvia H. Bonilla & Helton R. O. Silva & Marcia Terra da Silva & Rodrigo Franco Gonçalves & José B. Sacomano, 2018. "Industry 4.0 and Sustainability Implications: A Scenario-Based Analysis of the Impacts and Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-24, October.
    19. Michał Gazdecki & Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann & Marietta Kiss & Zoltán Szakály, 2021. "Segmentation of Food Consumers Based on Their Sustainable Attitude," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-28, May.
    20. Coralie Haller & Daria Plotkina & Tan Vo-Thanh, 2021. "Social Media Use of Small Wineries in Alsace: Resources and Motivations Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-14, July.

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