structural model equation results reveal that attitude, subjective norm, and media persuasion significantly predict

purchase intention, whereas perceived behavioral control shows no significant effect. These findings confirm

the applicability of TPB to sustainable consumption and highlight the crucial role of media communication in

shaping pro-environmental purchasing decisions. Theoretically, this study enriches the TPB framework by

integrating media persuasion as an external antecedent, offering a more comprehensive understanding of how

media persuasion enhances consumers’ environmental awareness and behavioral motivation. Practically, the

results provide valuable implications for policymakers, enterprises, and universities to design effective media

campaigns and educational strategies that encourage responsible consumption and reduce food waste among

young consumers.

Keywords: Near-expired products; Theory of Planned Behavior; Media persuasion; Sustainable consumption;

and carbon neutrality goals (M. Yang et al., 2020). Within this context, the consumption of near-expired products

(NEPs)—products that are approaching but have not yet reached their expiration date—has gained growing

attention for its economic, social, and environmental value (Liang et al., 2024). Consuming NEPs can help

conserve resources, reduce food waste, and promote sustainable development. However, even though these

products remain functional and safe for consumption, many consumers remain skeptical due to concerns about

food safety. As a result, they often reject or even discard near-expired food, leading to unnecessary food waste

(Cheng et al., 2025). Enhancing the attractiveness of NEPs has therefore become increasingly vital for both

corporate profitability and social responsibility.

Young people, particularly university students, play an important role in promoting NEP-related intentions and

behaviors, as they must bear the consequences of past and present environmental neglect (Karimi et al., 2021).

intentions and behaviors toward purchasing near-expired food remains scarce, representing a gap that warrants

further exploration.

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides a robust psychological framework for predicting and

understanding human behavior, particularly in the domain of purchasing and consumption decisions. It has been

widely applied to explain various pro-environmental behaviors, including workplace sustainability practices,

waste recycling, green purchasing, sustainable transportation, and energy conservation (e.g., Karimi et al., 2021;

Li & Shan, 2025; Lim & An, 2021). Numerous studies have demonstrated the suitability of TPB in explaining

green food purchase intentions and behaviors (Lim & An, 2021; Niloy et al., 2023). Nevertheless, limited

attention has been paid to applying TPB to understand university students’ intentions to purchase NEPs in the

The TPB posits that behavioral intention is determined by three key components: attitude toward the behavior,

subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (Ajzen, 1985).

Attitude toward the behavior refers to an individual’s overall evaluation—positive or negative—of performing

a specific behavior. Generally, attitude and behavioral intention are positively associated; the more favorable an

individual’s evaluation of a behavior, the stronger their intention to perform it (Spínola, 2023). Conversely, when

such beliefs weaken, behavioral intention also diminishes. Similar to other purchasing behaviors, the

consumption of near-expired food can satisfy both the functional and psychological needs of university students.

When this group holds favorable perceptions of near-expired food consumption experiences, they are likely to

Beyond individual attitudes, subjective norm captures the perceived social expectations and environmental

pressures that influence consumers’ purchase decisions (Zhan, 2022). In emerging economies such as China,

rising environmental consciousness has amplified the influence of reference groups (e.g., family, friends,

Perceived behavioral control, refers to an individual’s perception of the ease or difficulty of performing a

particular behavior. Perceived behavioral control encompasses both control beliefs and the perceived ability to

enact a given behavior (Britt et al., 2014). It plays a crucial role in shaping behavioral intention, when individuals

believe they can easily carry out a behavior, they are more likely to take action and ultimately change their

behavior. In the context of near-expired food, perceived control may relate to factors such as access to relevant

information, perceptions of product safety, and the convenience of purchasing channels.

A considerable number of studies have demonstrated that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral

control jointly influence consumers’ intentions to purchase green, eco-friendly, or near-expired food (Liang et

al., 2024; Niloy et al., 2023; Sui et al., 2024). For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Qi and Ploeger

(2021) found that Chinese consumers’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly

affected their green food purchase intentions. Similarly, Schmidt (2019) revealed that these three factors

Media persuasion refers to the extent to which various media (e.g., electronic and social media) are used to

expose environmental problems and guide audiences to change their environmental behaviors in the direction

advocated by the media through specific persuasive appeals (Wei et al., 2024). Previous studies have shown that

consumers acquire values, attitudes and behavioral patterns by observing different types of media, including

social media (Ho & Yang, 2018; Jiang, 2022).

To reduce carbon emissions and promote green consumption, governments and enterprises frequently use media

channels to disseminate persuasive messages that encourage consumers to adopt environmentally friendly

behaviors. Prior research suggests that media exposure can effectively motivate sustainable actions (Ball-

Drawing on the hypotheses, this study proposed the conceptual framework, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Theoretical framework

Method

Ethical approval was obtained from Guangzhou Nanfang College prior to the study. In May 2025, the

questionnaire was distributed via social media platforms (TikTok, QQ, and WeChat) using a convenience

sampling method. After excluding invalid responses, such as those failing the screening questions, completed in

unusually short time, or showing excessive consistency, 504 valid questionnaires were retained, yielding an

effective response rate of 93.1%. The survey comprised six sections: demographics (gender, age, education level,

and income), media persuasion, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and purchase intention

towards NEPs. All non-demographic constructs were adapted from prior studies and measured on a 5-point

expired food” (Mean = 3.454, SD = 0.282, Cronbach's α= 0.756). Perceived behavioral control was measured

with a three-item scale, also adopted from Yadav and Pathak (2017), including the item “I have resources, time

and opportunities to buy green product” (Mean = 3.958, SD = 0.285, Cronbach's α = 0.766). Purchase intention

toward NEP was measured with three items (Xiong & Wang, 2020), such as “How likely are you to choose the

near-expired food when buying food?” (Mean = 3.356, SD = 0.448, Cronbach's α = 0.883).

Data Analysis

Among the participants, 302 participants were female (60%) and 202 were male (40%), indicating a smaller

proportion of males. Regarding age distribution, the largest group was aged 21–23 years (48.53%), followed by

those aged 18–20 years (37.75%). In terms of academic year, freshmen accounted for 9.8%, sophomores for

25.49%, juniors for 19.12%, seniors for 37.75%, and graduate students 7.84%. Concerning monthly living

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the construct validity and discriminant validity

of the measurement model. The model fit indices indicated an acceptable fit: χ²/df = 2.866, GFI = 0.867, AGFI

behavioral control did not predict purchase intention toward NEPs; thus, H3 was not supported. Finally, media

persuasion exerted a significant positive effect on purchase intention toward NEPs, supporting H4.

their sense of control, consistent with the Protection Motivation Theory, which posits that perceived risks can

reduce behavioral intention even when individuals feel capable.

emphasize the safety, quality, and value of NEPs in their marketing communication to build consumer trust and

enhance purchase intention. Meanwhile, media organizations can strengthen public environmental awareness

through targeted content strategies. Collectively, these efforts can create a collaborative green communication

ecosystem that promotes resource conservation and sustainable consumption.

Although this study provides valuable insights, several limitations should be noted. First, the data were collected

from university students in a single country, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future studies

could include more diverse samples across regions and cultures. Second, the study focused on psychological and

media-related factors while overlooking potential economic and policy influences that may also shape consumers’

purchase decisions (Yadav & Pathak, 2017). Lastly, the self-reported data may be subject to social desirability

behavioral control shows no significant effect. These results suggest that consumers’ intention toward NEPs is

primarily shaped by social and moral norms, as well as persuasive environmental communication, rather than

by perceived capability. Theoretically, the study extends TPB by incorporating media persuasion as an external

antecedent, enriching understanding of how media communication drives pro-environmental consumption

behaviors. Practically, it highlights the importance of leveraging media campaigns, enhancing social approval,

and improving consumer trust in product safety to promote sustainable consumption. Overall, by revealing the

interplay between psychological, social, and media factors, this research provides a valuable foundation for

developing effective communication and policy strategies to reduce food waste and encourage responsible

consumption among young consumers.

Data available: Data can be obtained by contacting the corresponding author.

Conflicting interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

QianYing Ma: conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the manuscript

YuTong Chen: drafted the manuscript, methodology, distributed the questionnaire

All the authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

We thank all those who participated in the survey.

BaoJing Cai: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1432-1814

QianYing Ma: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6009-6395