Greenwashing strategies. What makes customers trust them?

Abstract

[eng] Greenwashing has been a response to the current concern towards sustainability. Companies using misleading promotional messages to convince consumers about the greenness of their performances when they are not as ecofriendly. This paper analyzes, from a consumer behavior perspective, the factors that make greenwashing marketing trustworthy among consumers. Incentives such as the absence of a regulatory framework around these activities and, thus, no ethical and organizational standards are what enhance firms perform greenwash. In addition, a quality certifying organization is shown to execute deceptive practices. Resulting in a skeptical and confusing atmosphere for consumers. Then, the survey conducted aims to find out the relation between respondents’ behavior towards sustainability and their capability of identifying greenwashing when purchasing goods. Results accord with the mistrust and confusion generated from greenwashing and contend that there is misinformation about this whole matter. Despite that, respondents have expressed their willingness and attempts to avoid green persuasion.