Social Media Influence on Green Consumption Behaviour for Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Review Based on CiteSpace

Abstract

Green consumption is essential to achieving sustainable development, as it helps reduce carbon emissions and supports global environmental governance. Social media has emerged as a key instrument in shaping consumer attitudes and actions. Nevertheless, limited research has systematically mapped the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and evolutionary patterns of social media's influence on green consumption behaviour. To fill this gap, this study provides a bibliometric review of 334 publications (2016–2025) to map the evolving research on social media’s role in green consumption. The field shows consistent growth, with themes shifting from early work on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward more focused studies of social media mechanisms, green marketing, and policy drivers. Building on these trends, the review identifies several meaningful paths for further research. These include employing clearer theoretical frameworks, conducting cross-cultural comparisons, and examining the influence of AI-based tools on consumer behaviour. By outlining the intellectual structure, collaborative networks, and emerging directions, this analysis offers a consolidated foundation for both researchers and practitioners interested in advancing sustainable consumption.

Keywords: green consumption behaviour, social media influence, bibliometrics, CiteSpace, Web of Science