Uncovering psychological and green pathways in young consumers’ adoption of organic skincare products in SME brands
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Sahana S 1 , Shareena P 1 * , Manjushri C Shetty 1 , Divya Shekar Anchan 1
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1 The Yenepoya Institute of Arts, Science, Commerce and Management, Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), Mangalore - 575018, INDIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

In the realm of consumer-decision making, brand credibility plays a vital role in organic skincare, trusting product claims to pave the way for consumer adoption. This research, therefore, focuses on how the credibility of SME brands proves to be a stimulant in organic skincare product adoption among consumers, combining the mediating effects of perceived green value and habit formation, the moderating effect of eco-conscious consumerism, and the debris caused by emotional engagement and social influence. This study collected 400 responses from customers who use organics skincare products in Karnataka, India. The mediation and moderation were analysed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the model fit and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to test hypothetical relationships. The major findings indicate that SME brand credibility significantly boosts the chance of consumer adoption of organic skincare products. Products that resonate with transparency, ethical sourcing, and sustainability certifications tend to earn the trust and choice of consumers, Habit formation and perceived green value act as important mediators in substantiating and strengthening the relationship between brand credibility and sustainable customer adoption. The study further highlights that eco-conscious consumerism enhances the relationship, whereby individuals with larger environmental concerns put significant weight upon brand credibility while making purchasing decisions. Moreover, emotional engagement and social influence in many ways highlight the path toward eco-conscious consumerism, manifesting the impact of endorsements by influencers, peer recommendations, and community-led support advocacy on consumer behaviour. The findings accentuate brand credibility in building the trust of an organic skincare shopper toward a product.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EUR J SUSTAIN DEV RES, Volume 10, Issue 3, 2026, Article No: em0418

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejosdr/18973

Publication date: 15 Jul 2026

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