1. INTRODUCTION:

Young people now engage with their surroundings thanks to digital media, which also shapes values, social contacts, and consumer behaviour. In growing nations like Nepal, where infrastructure and access inequalities exist, this change presents both opportunities and challenges. Digital platforms have become an indispensable means of communicating sustainability messages and motivating climate-conscious consumer decisions as worries about climate change grow.

Lumbini Province best illustrates this contradiction. Rural areas still face infrastructural challenges, even as mobile internet and social media platforms are gaining popularity among urban youth. Recent data reveal that urban internet adoption is almost twice that of rural regions³. However, preliminary research and anecdotal edidence indicate that rural youngsters, once connected, exhibit equal interest in environmental topics.

In this study, we investigate whether there is a significant difference in how young people perceive, have confidence in, and engage with digital sustainability information, depending on whether they live in urban or rural areas. This study presents a data-driven analysis of the impact of digital media on sustainable purchasing decisions, independent of region, by examining the perceptions of 500 youngsters from seven zones of Lumbini Province.

The results aim to inform the development of policies designed to bridge the digital gap and maximise the impact of sustainability-focused digital initiatives. This study aims to demonstrate how the digital maturity of rural consumers is increasing and the capacity of digital platforms to serve as tools for fair environmental education and behavioural change.

2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

The growing inclusion of digital media in young consumer culture has led to significant changes in how knowledge about sustainability is disseminated and implemented. The transformative effect of digital platforms on young purchasing habits and environmental consciousness has been well-documented in the current literature.

Starting with Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, which also provides a fundamental framework¹, one may understand the attitudinal and normative influences guiding young consumers' sustainable decisions. Applied to digital contexts, it stresses how perceptions of control, norms, and internet information affect behaviour and intention.

Empirical studies indicate that social media has a significant impact on the consumption patterns of millennials. A methodical review by Bryła et al.² found that digital campaigns employing influencer marketing and genuine stories encourage greater interaction with sustainable products. Their results corroborate earlier work by Davis, who emphasised the role that perceived utility and accessibility play in the acceptance of information technologies. When perceived as trustworthy and easily accessible, these virtual worlds motivate consumers to internalise, adopt, and behave according to sustainable consumption standards.

In Vietnam, Truc⁸ built on this idea to demonstrate that despite price sensitivity, eco-themed social media content can yet convince young people to buy eco-friendly products. This mirrors the growing emotional and informational value associated with digital sustainability campaigns.

Still pertinent are questions regarding the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Gajurel⁵ highlighted Nepal's unequal internet infrastructure, in which rural youth are sometimes excluded from the main digital narratives. Still, recent data show better access, as seen in DataReportal's 2024 report³, which details considerable increases in smartphone penetration and mobile connection throughout Lumbini Province. These trends point toward a possible "levelling effect" in access to sustainability messages.

The UNDP Nepal⁹ notes that although rural youngsters have limited infrastructure, their views on digital sustainability are just as powerful, suggesting that interest rather than access is the primary restriction. Likewise, studies by Zhao et al.¹¹ confirm that once connected, youngsters from diverse backgrounds display the same degrees of digital ability and interest in sustainable learning.

Throughout adolescence, environmental ethics and consumer behaviour continue to change. Kloep et al.⁶ argue that this stage of development is essential because children are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure, internet fads, and unsustainable trends. Theoretical foundations, such as the Diffusion of Innovations model⁷, help clarify how young opinion leaders, usually through social media, speed up green behaviour across their peer groups.

Regmi (2022) observed similar trends in Nepal, where youth overcame technical barriers to engage with digital sustainability tools.¹⁰ Furthermore, an AJM study¹² on internet marketing instruments confirms that digital technologies have a significant impact on informed consumer decisions, whether in banking, shopping, or environmental responsibility.

Chowdhury¹³ investigated the influence of social media on the buying decision process in the context of the Bangladeshi market, revealing critical insights relevant to broader South Asian consumer behaviour. His findings showed that social media platforms are strong tools in every stage of the consumer decision-making process. This is especially true for need recognition, information search, and post-purchase evaluation. The study found that digital media greatly improves consumer confidence and brand awareness by examining user engagement, reviews, and interactions on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It specifically noted that the success of digital marketing relies not just on visibility but also on perceived trust, peer influence, and how interactive the content is. This study supports the view that social media channels shape consumer attitudes, which in turn affect sustainable and responsible purchasing behaviours when sustainability messages are effectively embedded within marketing strategies.

The literature suggests that digital media serve as a significant leveller, reducing the rural-urban divide in access to sustainable knowledge. Still, infrastructure availability, trust in content, and relevance of messaging across several population groups will determine the whole promise of this "levelling effect."

3. MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Using a stratified sampling approach, this study chose a representative group of adolescents from both rural and urban areas in Lumbini Province, Nepal. Between January and March 2024, a total of 500 students from grades 11 to 12 were interviewed at the secondary level. Seven regions in the province had 250 responders each from rural and urban settings. Participants were selected from public and private schools in proportion to their representation.

Depending on the availability of digital devices in the local context, structured questionnaires were created and distributed in both paper and digital form. The questionnaire consisted of closed-ended questions addressing the frequency of digital media use, the perceived value of digital content in facilitating sustainable purchases, trust in digital sources, and pleasure with digital sustainability information.

A preliminary pilot study assessed the content validity and clarity among 50 children before the primary survey. We examined the reliability of the scale using Cronbach's Alpha. This produced a high value of 0.86, showing excellent internal consistency. We recorded and analysed the data using SPSS version 26.

Statistical Methods:

· Frequencies and percentages as descriptive statistics.

· Chi-square to compare the difference in rural and urban locations and outcomes. The χ² test was used to measure the significance of the differences.

· Linear regression to analyse the relationships between significance and satisfaction levels.

Table 1: Demographic characteristics

Category	Rural (n = 250)	Urban (n = 250)
Average Age	22.3 years	23.1 years
Female Respondents	48.4%	51.6%
Smartphone Access	89.2%	97.6%

Table 1 shows a good gender balance for mobile phone ownership, with high levels of smartphone ownership in both rural and urban areas. The study's findings are based on the structured questionnaire completed by the respondents, which captured quantitative information from them. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and linear regression were used to examine the patterns and correlations between digital media usage, pleasure, and sustainable purchasing behaviour among rural and urban youth.

Table 2: Perceived Importance of digital media

Importance Level	Rural (n = 250)	Urban (n = 250)
Extremely important	27	33
Very important	119	115
Moderately important	57	64
Slightly important	36	29
Not important at all	11	9

Table 2 reveals that a majority in both rural and urban cohorts consider digital media to be at least moderately important in their purchasing decisions.

A chi-square analysis examined the relationship between rural and urban living and the related outcomes. The study found a χ² value of 2.027 and a p-value of 0.731. This indicates that there are no significant differences in importance ratings across different geographic locations.

Table 3: satisfaction

Satisfaction Level	Rural (n = 250)	Urban (n = 250)
Extremely satisfied	9	12
Very satisfied	51	63
Moderately satisfied	108	110
Slightly satisfied	65	49
Not satisfied at all	17	16

Table 3 shows typically strong levels of satisfaction across both groups, with no extreme unhappiness noted. There was no significant difference between the two groups, as indicated by the analysis of satisfaction using a chi-square test. Abilities satisfaction: P = 0.408, χ² = 3.99. An analysis of the correlation between perceived importance and appreciation of digital content was conducted using linear regression.

β = 0.63 for rural youngsters.

Urban youngsters have β = 0.71.

Although the slope difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05), the urban group showed a somewhat closer link between importance and satisfaction.

5. DISCUSSION:

The findings demonstrate a convergence in how rural and urban youth in Lumbini Province perceive and engage with digital sustainability content. Despite a historical digital divide, both groups show comparable levels of satisfaction and assign similar importance to digital media in influencing their purchasing behaviour.

These findings are consistent with prior research by Zhao et al.¹¹ and UNDP Nepal⁹, indicating that digital competence and a strong interest in sustainability are widespread among youth, irrespective of geographical differences. The slightly stronger correlation between perceived importance and satisfaction among urban respondents may reflect their more seamless access to high-speed internet and digital services, consistent with Data Reportal's national statistics³.

Youth are particularly attentive to authentic, trust-prompted digital content (previous work)²⁸. Trends in satisfaction across the two groups reflect this, suggesting that digital literacy and the importance of message content are more important than access alone. The insignificant variations among the groups also confirm that digital media has successfully become a great equaliser in promoting sustainable consumption across all socio-demographic segments.

These insights contribute to growing calls for the development of inclusive, youth-focused digital sustainability campaigns, as suggested by Regmi et al. 11 and others. When we return, future projects should not stop at access alone, but instead focus on producing content that has the same impact whether you live in the woods or an apartment.

6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The authors are thankful to the participating and cooperating schools, students, and officials of Lumbini Province. Thanks also go to the Om Sterling Global University research team for ethical clearance and methodological advice.

7. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Permission to collect data was taken from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Om Sterling Global University. All participants provided written informed consent, stating that they had participated voluntarily and understood the purpose of the study. To ensure strict anonymity, none of the data collected in this research (including name, initials, or school code) was identifiable.

8. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

Declaring no conflict of interest, the authors state that the research was self-funded, independent of any commercial or institutional influence. Verified using a standard online plagiarism checker, the plagiarism report falls within tolerable threshold levels.

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Received on 21.07.2025 Revised on 16.08.2025

Accepted on 05.09.2025 Published on 07.11.2025

Available online from November 17, 2025

Asian Journal of Management. 2025;16(4):329-332.

DOI: 10.52711/2321-5763.2025.00050

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License.