This study pioneers an integrated model combining the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) to explain Generation Z’s unsustainable purchase intention towards ultra-fast fashion (UFF). Specifically, it investigates the interactions among social media marketing, credible online reviews, hedonic and utilitarian motivations, and consumer innovativeness, with perceived value acting as a crucial mediator. Notably, the research integrates the effect of the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), a significant psychological driver in the digital era, directly on purchase intention. Analysing structural equation modelling (SEM) on 279 responses from Vietnamese Generation Z consumers, the findings confirm that perceived value plays a substantial mediating role and that FOMO has a significant positive impact on unsustainable purchase intention. These results provide deep insights into the psychological and social drivers fuelling unsustainable shopping patterns, offering critical managerial and policy implications for redirecting consumer behaviour in the ultra-fast fashion industry.
Nguyen et al. (2026) studied this question.