Können Influencer/innen einen Beitrag zu nachhaltigen Konsumhandlungen liefern?

Ergebnisse aus der EKo-K.I.S.S.-Schüler/innenbefragung

Abstract

In our digital multi-option society, in which material, social and emotional needs are satisfied through offers from the profit-oriented and highly digitized market system, the ecological limits of this way of life are by now clearly visible. Thus, the need for profound change is evident, especially in the area of sustainable production and consumption patterns. Regarding the complex influencing factors on individual consumption routines, social media emerge as a relatively new meta-level between market and consumer. Orientation-giving social media influencers are a central factor in these dynamics. Young people in particular are regularly confronted with influencer content on social media platforms. Their diets and consumer behavior are to be seen as a commitment and part of their own and their follower’s lifestyle and reflect values and individual ideologies. For nutrition and consumer education this mandates, educators must learn to understand the impact of media content on the nutritional and consumer behavior of children and adolescents due to the emotionally conveyed everyday reference and the symbolic power.

In the present work, the focus lies on sustainability-oriented nutrition and consumption activities. Based on an overview of the influencer's impact on nutritional and consumer socialization of young people, initial results of a survey amongst Styrian pupils as part of the EKo-K.I.S.S. project are presented and analysed to answer the question, if and to what extend influencers effect sustainability awareness and multiplication of sustainability-conscious actions among their followers.