IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i20p9009-d1501140.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Perceived Greenwashing and Its Impact on the Green Image of Brands

Author

Listed:
  • Jui-Che Tu

    (Graduate School of Design, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan)

  • Yang Cui

    (Graduate School of Design, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan
    School of Design and Art, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China)

  • Lixia Liu

    (College of Art, Beijing Union University, Beijing 100101, China)

  • Chun Yang

    (School of Design, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China)

Abstract

In contemporary society, the growing attention paid to environmental protection and sustainable development has led to an increasing demand for green products. To meet this demand, companies have widely adopt green marketing strategies aimed at attracting consumers through environmental attributes. However, the phenomenon of “greenwashing”, where companies exaggerate or mislead the public about their environmental actions, undermines consumer trust and damages brand reputation. This study explores the impact of brands’ green marketing strategies on consumers’ perception of greenwashing and green brand image through in-depth interviews and surveys. Initially, four key dimensions of brand green marketing were identified through interviews with 40 experts and industry stakeholders: products and services, communication, relationships and interaction, and commitment and values. Subsequently, data from 325 valid survey responses were collected online, and the hypotheses were tested using factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results indicate that communication, relationships and interaction, and commitment and values effectively reduce greenwashing perception and, through this mediation, influence green brand image. This finding underscores the importance of brands avoiding false advertising in green marketing and ensuring the authenticity of their environmental information to maintain and enhance their green image.

Suggested Citation

  • Jui-Che Tu & Yang Cui & Lixia Liu & Chun Yang, 2024. "Perceived Greenwashing and Its Impact on the Green Image of Brands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:9009-:d:1501140
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/9009/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/9009/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rui Guo & Lan Tao & Caroline Bingxin Li & Tao Wang, 2017. "A Path Analysis of Greenwashing in a Trust Crisis Among Chinese Energy Companies: The Role of Brand Legitimacy and Brand Loyalty," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(3), pages 523-536, February.
    2. Kent Walker & Fang Wan, 2012. "The Harm of Symbolic Actions and Green-Washing: Corporate Actions and Communications on Environmental Performance and Their Financial Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 227-242, August.
    3. Rodolphe Durand & Deborah Philippe, 2011. "The impact of norm-conforming behaviors on firm reputation," Post-Print hal-00609203, HAL.
    4. Yu-Shan Chen & Ching-Hsun Chang, 2013. "Greenwash and Green Trust: The Mediation Effects of Green Consumer Confusion and Green Perceived Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 489-500, May.
    5. Bruno F. Abrantes & Emelie Ström, 2023. "Business utilitarian ethics and green lending policies: a thematic analysis on the Swedish global retail and commercial banking sector," International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 17(4), pages 443-470.
    6. Zhongfu Tan & Burhan Sadiq & Tayyeba Bashir & Hassan Mahmood & Yasir Rasool, 2022. "Investigating the Impact of Green Marketing Components on Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Brand Image and Brand Trust," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-15, May.
    7. Shahid Bashir & Muddasar Ghani Khwaja & Yasir Rashid & Jamshid Ali Turi & Tariq Waheed, 2020. "Green Brand Benefits and Brand Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Green Brand Image," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(3), pages 21582440209, August.
    8. Papadas, Karolos-Konstantinos & Avlonitis, George J. & Carrigan, Marylyn & Piha, Lamprini, 2019. "The interplay of strategic and internal green marketing orientation on competitive advantage," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 632-643.
    9. Muhammad Mohsin Butt & Saadia Mushtaq & Alia Afzal & Kok Wei Khong & Fon Sim Ong & Pui Fong Ng, 2017. "Integrating Behavioural and Branding Perspectives to Maximize Green Brand Equity: A Holistic Approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 507-520, May.
    10. Rob Eisinga & Manfred Grotenhuis & Ben Pelzer, 2013. "The reliability of a two-item scale: Pearson, Cronbach, or Spearman-Brown?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(4), pages 637-642, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qiong Yao & Suzhen Zeng & Shibin Sheng & Shiyuan Gong, 2021. "Green innovation and brand equity: moderating effects of industrial institutions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 573-602, June.
    2. Yingxue Gao & Yan Chen, 2024. "Watchdogs or Enablers? Analyzing the Role of Analysts in ESG Greenwashing in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-28, May.
    3. Torelli, Riccardo & Balluchi, Federica & Lazzini, Arianna, 2019. "Greenwashing and Environmental Communication: Effects on Stakeholders’ Perceptions," OSF Preprints 97vxn, Center for Open Science.
    4. Marta Pizzetti & Lucia Gatti & Peter Seele, 2021. "Firms Talk, Suppliers Walk: Analyzing the Locus of Greenwashing in the Blame Game and Introducing ‘Vicarious Greenwashing’," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 21-38, April.
    5. Jiajia Zhang & Jin Sun, 2021. "Green Talk or Green Walk: Chinese Consumer Positive Word-of-Mouth to Corporate Environmental Actions in Polluting Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, May.
    6. Riccardo Torelli & Federica Balluchi & Arianna Lazzini, 2020. "Greenwashing and environmental communication: Effects on stakeholders' perceptions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 407-421, February.
    7. Shi, Daqian & Lu, Shan & Fang, Ziwei, 2024. "The effect of executive green human capital on greenwashing," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    8. Francesca Bernini & Fabio La Rosa, 2024. "Research in the greenwashing field: concepts, theories, and potential impacts on economic and social value," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 28(2), pages 405-444, June.
    9. Wei Li & Weining Li & Veikko Seppänen & Timo Koivumäki, 2022. "How and when does perceived greenwashing affect employees' job performance? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1722-1735, September.
    10. Dong, Ciwei & Huang, Qianzhi & Pan, Yuqing & Ng, Chi To & Liu, Renjun, 2023. "Logistics outsourcing: Effects of greenwashing and blockchain technology," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    11. Dangelico, Rosa Maria & Alvino, Letizia & Fraccascia, Luca, 2022. "Investigating the antecedents of consumer behavioral intention for sustainable fashion products: Evidence from a large survey of Italian consumers," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    12. Nils Christian Hoffmann & Juelin Yin & Stefan Hoffmann, 2020. "Chain of Blame: A Multi-country Study of Consumer Reactions Towards Supplier Hypocrisy in Global Supply Chains," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 247-286, April.
    13. Yanhong Tang & Rui Yang & Yingwen Chen & Mengjin Du & Yichen Yang & Xin Miao, 2020. "Greenwashing of Local Government: The Human-Caused Risks in the Process of Environmental Information Disclosure in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-14, August.
    14. Newton, Joshua D. & Tsarenko, Yelena & Ferraro, Carla & Sands, Sean, 2015. "Environmental concern and environmental purchase intentions: The mediating role of learning strategy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1974-1981.
    15. Torelli, Riccardo, 2020. "Sustainability, Responsibility and Ethics: Different Concepts for a Single Path," OSF Preprints hb92c, Center for Open Science.
    16. Silvia Ruiz-Blanco & Silvia Romero & Belen Fernandez-Feijoo, 2022. "Green, blue or black, but washing–What company characteristics determine greenwashing?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 4024-4045, March.
    17. Rick Hardcopf & Kevin Linderman & Rachna Shah, 2024. "Do Firms Follow through on Environmental Commitments? An Empirical Examination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-29, August.
    18. Jiao, Anqi & Lu, Juntai & Ren, Honglin & Wei, Jia, 2024. "The role of AI capabilities in environmental management: Evidence from USA firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    19. Syed Hasnain Alam Kazmi & Muhammad Saeed Shahbaz & Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik & Junaid Ahmed, 2021. "Switching behaviors toward green brands: evidence from emerging economy," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 11357-11381, August.
    20. Vera Ferrón‐Vílchez & Jesus Valero‐Gil & Inés Suárez‐Perales, 2021. "How does greenwashing influence managers' decision‐making? An experimental approach under stakeholder view," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(2), pages 860-880, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:9009-:d:1501140. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.