Everyday social influence and political consumerism

Social influences are pervasive in the age of social media, with digital platforms often assumed to be key drivers of behavioral change. However, initial research presents mixed findings, with some suggesting significant influence and others showing limited effects. What many studies highlight is that some social actors and relationships are more effective at shaping behavior than others. Focusing on political consumerism, a form of political participation that has reached considerable prominence, this study examines how perceived social influence from different types of social ties relates to individuals’ engagement in environmentally and ethically motivated consumption. Using data from the nationally representative SOM survey conducted in Sweden in 2021 (N = 1526), the study shows that perceived influence from specific social actors is systematically associated with more frequent political consumerism in everyday consumption. In particular, partners/spouses, children, and scientists emerge as social ties whose perceived influence is linked to more frequent and hence routinized buycotting and boycotting. Perceived influence from journalists and writers is additionally associated with more frequent boycotting. By contrast, social media influencers and celebrities show no consistent association with political consumer engagements. These results highlight the social and relational foundations of political consumerism in daily life: it seems to be shaped less by highly visible digital influencers, and more by conventional social ties embedded in everyday life as well as actors perceived as knowledgeable and credible, such as scientists. This underlines how close personal ties and trusted expert voices continue being central in shaping political behavior.