1. Introduction
Social media, as a tool to facilitate communication mechanisms, closely connects individuals through content sharing [
1]. In today’s digital society, social media and online platforms play a significant role in influencing consumers [
2], with their rise gradually changing consumer shopping decision-making patterns. Consumers increasingly use social media, especially to gather information for decision-making. In this context, influencers have gradually entered the public eye. Ki and Kim (2019) define influencers as “individuals who have established credibility with a large social media audience due to their knowledge and expertise on a specific topic, thereby significantly influencing their followers and peer consumers’ decisions” [
3]. Hudders et al. (2021) further explain “Influencers are social media users who, by creating and disseminating online content across various social media platforms, have gained fame online and accumulated a large following. Generally, digital influencers distinguish themselves from ordinary social media users through their extensive reach and influence” [
4]. Consumers often follow the advice of influencers and trust their recommendations on products. Influencers are increasingly seen as powerful tools for communication with consumers [
5,
6]. Compared to celebrities, influencers have established closer connections with their followers and developed more trustworthy and credible relationships [
7]. This transformative interaction model has made consumers more reliant on influencers’ opinions, thus having a more direct and profound impact on shopping and lifestyle decisions.
Consequently, influencer marketing has become increasingly popular as a key component of companies’ digital marketing strategies, as evidenced by the global market growth of influencer marketing [
8]. Influencer marketing platforms, known for their user-generated content recommendation mechanisms [
9,
10], have gained considerable attention. When influencers share personal experiences, product evaluations, and usage scenarios, they directly or indirectly shape consumers’ perceptions of various goods, attracting them to make purchases. Essentially, influencers receive compensation for posting content related to products, services, or brands. Owing to their large follower base, influencers can significantly influence potential consumers’ purchasing decisions by disseminating their views on company or brand products and services. Consumers are very likely to follow the purchasing advice of influencers they admire [
11].
Health and wellness constitute a significant domain within influencer marketing [
12], and following the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an increasing focus on healthy living [
13] and sustainable eating practices. This shift has led to an exploration of light meals. Light meals represent a dining form characterized by simplicity, moderation, and a balanced diet, primarily consisting of low-fat, low-sugar, low-salt, and high-fiber foods, which are more natural and sustainable for the environment [
14]. The concept of light meals originated in Europe, with the aim of allowing consumers to intake nutrients without burden, promoting healthier diets, and advocating for a positive and proactive attitude and lifestyle. In meeting individual health needs, the concept of light meals is also closely linked with the philosophy of sustainable food.
In recent years, an increasing number of scholars have been studying the influence of influencer marketing platforms on consumer intentions and behaviors. Research shows that factors such as influencer credibility, consistency between the influencer and promoted products, media richness, and parasocial interaction significantly affect consumer behavior [
15,
16]. Soltani et al. (2021) pointed out that influencer marketing platforms influence food tourists’ behavioral intentions by affecting people’s attitudes towards local foods and food destination images, ultimately shaping food consumption intentions and behaviors [
17]. Zheng et al. (2024) indicated that influencer marketing platforms influence food consumption intentions and behaviors through influencers’ intimate self-disclosures, perceived altruistic motives, follower attitudes, information involvement, and product knowledge [
18]. However, the existing literature has not yet explored the factors influencing light food consumption intentions and behaviors on influencer marketing platforms. Therefore, this study surveyed consumers in Suzhou to fill this gap.
In contemporary society, the increasing awareness of health and sustainable development has made light meals one of the most sought-after dietary trends. According to the “Light Food Consumption Big Data Report” by Meituan Delivery in China, the size of the domestic light food market exceeded RMB 100 billion in 2022, accounting for about 10% of the total catering revenue within five years. Against the backdrop of the rising popularity of light meals, influencer marketing platforms have emerged as a significant sales channel. Hence, investigating whether influencer marketing platforms can drive consumer purchasing intentions towards light meals is crucial. It not only offers recommendations for current brand and market strategies but also promotes the joint development of healthy eating and sustainable lifestyles in the digital era. At the same time, sustainable development is closely related to regional development, with the key being to balance economic, social, and environmental needs to ensure the quality of life and well-being now and in the future [
19]. Knowledge, natural capital, and culture are particularly important in economic development, especially innovation and nature. Therefore, the transition between different stages of economic development is influenced by various factors and is crucial for sustainable economic development [
20]. This study takes Suzhou as an example, exploring the connection between influencer marketing platforms and the consumption intentions and behaviors towards light food. Based on this, the main objective of this study is to explore the impact of influencer marketing platforms on consumers’ purchasing intentions and behaviors towards light meals, with the aim of fostering the collective advancement of healthy eating and sustainable lifestyles in the digital age and providing effective recommendations for market strategies.
The remaining parts of this paper are organized as follows: First, we describe the theoretical background of the study and propose the research hypotheses. Second, we present our research methods and model. Third, we conduct an empirical analysis of the data. Finally, we discuss the research findings and the significance of our study.
4. Results
The statistical results indicate that, among the sample, 65.14% of users who use influencer marketing platforms are women, showing that women use these platforms more than men. This may be because women are more active in socializing and consuming and are more interested in topics related to influencers, such as fashion, beauty, and fitness. In terms of age distribution, the main users of influencer marketing platforms are young people, likely because they are more familiar with and open to new social media and digital platforms. They have stronger social needs and a desire to explore, and they tend to interact with and share content and communities of interest on influencer marketing platforms. Regarding usage time, there are many users who browse for less than one hour per day, which may reflect users’ fragmented usage habits of influencer marketing platforms. In subsequent discussions, we will consider how to improve the efficiency of influencer marketing platforms so that influencers can attract consumers’ attention more quickly. In terms of the distribution of permanent residents, the sample is evenly distributed, with the majority being from Pingjiang Road in Gusu District, accounting for 13.15%. This may be due to Pingjiang Road being located in the center of Suzhou, serving as a historical and cultural district and a gathering place for influencers, attracting more young people or internet users.
4.1. Model Validation
4.1.1. Correlation Analysis
To enhance the robustness of the model, a correlation analysis was conducted among the variables. The Pearson correlation coefficient was chosen for this analysis, considering its effective capacity to measure linear relationships between interval variables.
As shown in
Table 3, the computation revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.557 between purchase behavior and influencer marketing platform intervention, with a significance level of 0.01. This indicates a significant positive correlation between purchase behavior and influencer marketing platform intervention. The correlation coefficient between purchase behavior and purchase intention was 0.618, also showing a significance level of 0.01, which suggests a significant positive correlation between purchase behavior and purchase intention. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between influencer marketing platform intervention and purchase intention was 0.510, with a significance level of 0.01, indicating a significant positive correlation between influencer marketing platform intervention and purchase intention.
We found that although consumers express lower purchase intentions, they exhibit higher actual purchasing behaviors, which differs from the conclusions of previous studies. However, this result is consistent with the studies of Tufail et al. (2022) and Chen et al. (2022). Tufail et al. (2022) indicated that consumers’ actual purchasing behavior of suboptimal food was higher despite expressing lower intentions due to factors like quality concerns and unappealing appearance, as per the Behavioral Reasoning Theory [
53]. Chen et al. (2022) found that consumers exhibited higher actual purchasing behavior when influenced by search advertising, despite expressing lower intentions to buy due to factors like SMS advertising fatigue [
54]. We believe that actual purchasing behavior may be driven by the attractiveness, nutritional value, taste, or quality of light meal products, which prompt their decision to buy. The lower purchase intentions may be influenced by other factors, such as price, brand perception, shopping experience, or overall awareness and attitudes towards light meal products. Additionally, external factors such as shopping environment, promotional activities, or social influence might also affect consumers’ purchase intentions. This discrepancy between purchasing behavior and purchase intentions provides valuable insights for marketing strategies in the light meals market, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumers’ true needs and motivations.
4.1.2. Improper Estimates
From the data presented in the
Table 4, it is evident that the standardized factor loadings for each question exceed 0.5, and the residuals are all positive and significant. This demonstrates compliance with the estimation criteria. The Composite Reliability (CR) values are all above 0.7, and the Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values exceed 0.5, meeting the criteria for convergent validity. The moderate fit is within an acceptable range, demonstrating combined reliability and convergent validity.
During the model validation process, the examination of improper estimates indicated that the model did not exhibit any violations, thereby affirming the structural equation model’s rationality. This demonstrates the consistency of the proposed model in theoretical construction, providing a reliable foundation for subsequent exploration of causal relationships.
This study tested the reliability and validity of the questionnaire items during the data verification stage. The results indicate good reliability and validity for the items in the questionnaire (KMO value = 0.957), making them suitable for factor analysis. Consequently, we conducted Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). It is evident that the CMIN/DF is 1.945, and the GFI, AGFI, NFI, TLI, IFI, and CFI all exceed the standard of 0.9. The RMSEA is 0.046, which is less than 0.08. The majority of the fit indices meet the general standards for SEM research. Therefore, it can be concluded that this structural model has a good fit and possesses satisfactory adaptability. Please see the details of the test results in
Table 5.
4.2. Hypothesis Testing
In this section, we will test our hypotheses, examining both the direct and indirect effects of influencer marketing platform interventions on consumer purchase intentions and behavior.
4.2.1. Assessment of the Structural Model
Our analysis produced the model shown in
Figure 3, which indicates that all key independent variables have measurable effects on their respective dependent variables. This suggests that the model has a certain degree of credibility, which can be seen from the more detailed analysis in the following sections.
4.2.2. The Relationship between Influencer Marketing Platform Interventions and Purchase Intentions
In
Table 6, we can see that influencer marketing platform intervention has a significant positive effect on purchase intention (β = 0.581,
p < 0.001); thus, H1 is supported. This means that, through the promotion and intervention of influencer marketing platforms, consumers are more willing to purchase light meal products. This trend may stem from the influence and fan base of influencers on social media, as well as their personal recommendations and insights about the products, enhancing consumers’ trust and interest in light meal products. This finding provides empirical support for the role of social media in promoting the purchase intention of sustainable foods, and it also offers businesses effective marketing strategies through the use of influencer marketing platforms.
4.2.3. The Relationship between Purchase Intention and Purchasing Behavior
Purchase intention has a significant positive effect on purchase behavior (β = 0.510, p < 0.001), confirming H2. This demonstrates that consumers are more likely to convert their positive purchase intentions into actual purchasing behaviors when they express a strong intention to purchase. This provides empirical support for the significance of purchase intention in the purchasing decision process, while also emphasizing the effectiveness of influencer marketing platforms in driving purchasing behavior. In the modern consumer environment, consumers often realize their consumption goals through actual purchasing behavior after expressing their purchase intentions. Therefore, understanding and guiding consumers’ purchase intentions is a crucial part of successful marketing for businesses. Furthermore, the validation of H2 also emphasizes the effectiveness of influencer marketing platforms in driving purchasing behavior. Through the recommendations and introductions by influencers, consumers not only express their purchase intentions but are also more inclined to convert these intentions into actual purchasing behaviors. As opinion leaders on social media, influencers’ promotional influence and trustworthiness can facilitate consumers’ purchasing decisions. Therefore, utilizing influencer marketing platforms can more effectively guide consumers to realize their purchase intentions, thereby promoting the occurrence of purchasing behaviors.
4.2.4. The Relationship between Influencer Marketing Platform Interventions and Purchasing Behavior
Influencer marketing platform intervention has a significant positive effect on purchase behavior (β = 0.306, p < 0.001), supporting H3. As a new type of marketing channel, influencer marketing platforms can effectively guide consumer purchasing behavior through the influence and fan base of influencers. After consumers encounter product information and recommendations from influencers on social media, they not only express a positive purchase intention but are also more likely to complete the purchase. This indicates that under the influence of influencer marketing platforms, consumers are more likely to translate their positive purchase intentions into actual buying behaviors, offering empirical evidence of influencer marketing’s effectiveness in promoting sales of light meal products, and highlighting the importance of purchase intention in the decision-making process.
4.2.5. The Relationship among Influencer Marketing Platform Interventions, Purchase Intention, and Purchasing Behavior
From the bootstrap mediation effect test shown in the
Table 7, the direct effect of influencer marketing platform intervention on purchase behavior via purchase intention is 0.306, with a 95% confidence interval not including 0, indicating that the direct effect is significant. The indirect effect is 0.302, with a 95% confidence interval not including 0, indicating that the indirect effect is significant. The mediation proportion is 49.7%, supporting H4. This highlights the important role of purchase intention in explaining the mechanism by which influencer marketing affects purchasing behavior, further emphasizing the criticality of purchase intention in this relationship. This validation not only provides a deeper understanding of the impact of purchase intention on purchasing behavior but also underscores the significant role of influencer marketing platforms in guiding consumers to form purchase intentions and, ultimately, realize purchasing behavior.
5. Conclusions
In contemporary society, as awareness of health and sustainable development continues to rise, light meals have emerged as a highly sought-after dietary trend. Against this backdrop, influencer marketing platforms have increasingly become important drivers in shaping consumer perceptions. This study aims to delve into the effect of influencer marketing platforms on consumers’ purchase intentions towards light meals.
The results here confirm that the intervention of influencer marketing platforms has a significant positive impact on both the purchase intention and purchasing behavior towards light meals. This breakthrough reveals the role of influencer marketing platforms as actual guides leading consumers towards more sustainable food choices. Consumers show a preference for light meal products that align with the concept of sustainable development in their shopping decisions, highlighting the significant role of influencer marketing platforms in stimulating purchase intentions for light meals. This provides novel insights into the influence mechanism of influencer marketing platforms in promoting consumers’ choices of sustainable foods.
Furthermore, we found that the formation of purchasing intentions is influenced not only by influencer marketing platforms but also by the authenticity, professionalism, and personalized recommendations of the platforms’ content. Through survey research, it was found that most consumers generally believe in the significant impact of influencers, emphasizing their notable role in stimulating purchase intentions, which aligns with the results of earlier studies [
55,
56,
57]. The professionalism, authenticity, and popularity of influencers have a crucial impact on consumer shopping decisions, making consumers more trusting and inclined to purchase light meal products promoted by influencers. In addition, the platform offers consumers genuine shopping experiences and firsthand product feedback through features such as user reviews and product ratings. This enhances consumers’ confidence in light meal products and solidifies their purchasing decisions. Moreover, the direct interaction and close relationship between influencers and consumers emotionally engage consumers with influencer recommendations, thereby boosting their interest and intention to purchase light meal products.
Finally, the focus on influencer marketing platforms plays a pivotal role in consumers’ shopping behaviors. Factors such as the platform’s personalization and precise recommendations, layout style and user interface, and the ecosystem and atmosphere make consumers feel comfortable and pleased, thereby boosting their confidence in shopping. The comprehensive, authentic, and clear presentation of light meal marketing content, along with the provision of professional and targeted services, further stimulates consumers’ interest and intention to purchase.
Overall, this study delves into the key role of influencer marketing platforms in promoting consumers’ light meal shopping behaviors, highlighting the positive impact of sustainable development on light meal shopping intentions and the importance of influencers in guiding and influencing consumer shopping behaviors.