| Abstract [eng] |
The topic of overconsumption is currently highly relevant due to growing concerns about modern consumer habits and their negative impact on the environment. Today’s pace of consumption exceeds the planet’s renewal capacity by as much as 1.7 times (National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts, 2022). Relentless economic growth, the promotion of consumer culture, and the encouragement of materialism increase overconsumption, which contributes to environmental deterioration and planetary degradation. Moreover, consumers are becoming more susceptible to information and more easily drawn to the temptations of hedonic and competitive consumption. Marketing and sales strategies continuously exploit people’s lack of self-control, encouraging impulsive and thoughtless decisions by offering easily accessible, happiness-promising products. Meanwhile, social media, which accompanies the modern person at every step, has become a popular and skillfully exploited communication channel for businesses. Not only is social media use increasing, but the popularity of influencers as an advertising tool is also growing. Globally, $35 billion USD was spent on influencer advertising services in 2024, with projected growth to $56 billion USD over the next five years (Statista, 2024). In the Lithuanian context, this trend is also pronounced – influencer advertising expenditures are forecasted to grow by up to 35% over the next four years (Statista, 2024). Additionally, recent studies show that as many as 74% of consumers purchase products based on influencer recommendations (Business Wire, 2024). Both statistics and academic research support the notion that influencer advertising or promotional content on social media can significantly impact consumers’ purchase intentions. |
