Does Greenwashing Build Green Brand Associations? Evidence from the Indian Packaged Food Market
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2024/v54/i2/172049Keywords:
Greenwashing
, Green Skepticism, Green Concern, Green Brand Associations, Indian Packaged Food Market.Paper Submission Date
, October 5, 2022, Paper sent back for Revision, June 6, 2023, Paper Acceptance Date, July 25, Paper Published Online, February 15, 2024Abstract
Purpose : Marketers engage in a tactic known as “greenwashing,†which involves making false environmental claims in order to capitalize on consumers’ desire for environmentally friendly items. This study looked at how views of “greenwashing†affected links between green brands and packaged foods in India. It also looked at how green concern and green skepticism function as moderators and mediators, respectively.
Methodology : The study is based on a survey of 326 users of packaged food products. The questionnaire consisted of four major constructs: greenwashing perception, greenwashing skepticism, green concern, and green brand associations. The structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was applied to conclude the data.
Findings : This study showed that green skepticism acts as a mediating factor between the impression of greenwashing and negative associations with green brands. It was discovered that the moderator of green concern emphasized the detrimental effect of the perception of greenwashing on affiliations with green brands.
Practical Implications : The results from the study may be used by lawmakers, regulators, and packaged food marketers to frame their environmental policies and practices to reduce green skepticism by providing proof of green claims and practices.
Originality : The study was distinctive in that it examined green brand linkages from the viewpoint of the notion of greenwashing. Furthermore, no research on the subject of greenwashing examined the moderating and mediating effects of green concern and green skepticism, respectively. Thus, the study addressed this research void.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
References
Aaker, D. (2003). The power of the branded differentiator. MIT Sloan Management Review, 45(1), 83.
Agarwal, S., & Khattri, V. (2018). Impact of environmental awareness on the purchase of green products. Effulgence, 16, 1–11. https://dx.doi.org/10.33601/effulgence.rdias/v16/iSpl1/2018/article0.1
Akehurst, G., Afonso, C., & Martins Gonçalves, H. (2012). Re-examining green purchase behaviour and the green consumer profile: New evidence. Management Decision, 50(5), 972–988. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251741211227726
Akturan, U. (2018). How does greenwashing affect green branding equity and purchase intention? An empirical research. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 36(7), 809–824. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-12-2017-0339
ASCI pulls up Reliance Jio, PepsiCo India, Hindustan Unilever, others for misleading ads. (2018, October 17). The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/asci-pulls-up-reliance-jio-pepsico-india-hindustan-unilever-others-for-misleadingads/articleshow/66263285.cms
ASCI upheld complaints against 248 advertisements in November, 2019. (February 21, 2020). Best Media Info. https://bestmediainfo.com/2020/02/asci-upheld-complaints-against-248-advertisements-in-november-2019/
AZO Cleantech. (2008). Greenwashing, A definition of what greenwashing is, examples of greenwashing and how to spot greenwashing. https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=109
Bekk, M., Spörrle, M., Hedjasie, R., & Kerschreiter, R. (2016). Greening the competitive advantage: Antecedents and consequences of green brand equity. Quality & Quantity, 50, 1727–1746. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-015-0232-y
Bhatti, K. K., & Negi, A. (2018). Determinants of green marketing leading to sustainable competitive advantage for retailers within the Delhi region. Indian Journal of Marketing, 48(8), 53–64. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i8/130540
Biswas, A., & Roy, M. (2015). Green products: An exploratory study on the consumer behaviour in emerging economies of the East. Journal of Cleaner Production, 87, 463–468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.09.075
Chang, C.-H., & Chen, Y.-S. (2014). Managing green brand equity: The perspective of perceived risk theory. Quality & Quantity, 48, 1753–1768. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-013-9872-y
Chen, Y., & Chang, C. (2012). Enhance green purchase intentions: The roles of green perceived value, green perceived risk, and green trust. Management Decision, 50(3), 502–520. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251741211216250
Chen, Y.-S., & Chang, C.-H. (2013). Greenwash and green trust: The mediation effects of green consumer confusion and green perceived risk. Journal of Business Ethics, 114, 489–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1360-0
Das, J. K., Prakash, O., & Khattri, V. (2016). Brand image mapping: A study on bathing soaps. Global Business Review, 17(4), 870–885. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150916645683
Delmas, M. A., & Burbano, V. C. (2011). The drivers of greenwashing. California Management Review, 54(1), 64–87. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2011.54.1.64
Euromonitor International. (2020). Packaged food in India – Analysis (Country Report). https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/
Food Safety Helpline.com. (2016). FSSAI signs a MoU with ASCI to address the issue of misleading advertisements. https://foodsafetyhelpline.com/fssai-signs-mou-asci-address-issue-misleading-advertisements/
Foreh, M. R., & Grier, S. (2003). When is honesty the best policy? The effect of stated company intent on consumer skepticism. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13(3), 349–356. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327663JCP1303_15
Forehand, M. R. (2000). Extending overjustification: The effect of perceived reward-giver intention on response to rewards. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(6), 919–931. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.85.6.919
Ghose, A., & Chandra, B. (2018). Consumption behaviour towards green durable products: The moderating role of demographics. Indian Journal of Marketing, 48(6), 22–41. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i6/127834
Goh, S. K., & Balaji, M. S. (2016). Linking green skepticism to green purchase behavior. Journal of Cleaner Production, 131, 629–638. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.122
Horiuchi, R., Schuchard, R., Shea, L., & Townsend, S. (2009). Understanding and preventing greenwash: A business guide. Futerra Sustainability Communications. https://www.bsr.org/reports/Understanding%20_Preventing_Greenwash.pdf
Jose, H., & Koshy, M. P. (2018). Factors influencing young consumers of organic food products to lead a healthy lifestyle. Indian Journal of Marketing, 48(10), 7–19. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i10/132323
Kourav, V., & Sharma, A. (2023). Exploring success factors for new product selling in fast - moving consumer goods. Indian Journal of Marketing, 53(3), 8–25. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2023/v53/i3/172653
Laheri, V. K. (2020). Moderating effect of facilitators and barriers for purchase of green products in India. Indian Journal of Marketing, 50(3), 7–21. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2020/v50/i3/151026
Laroche, M., Bergeron, J., & Barbaro-Forleo, G. (2001). Targeting consumers who are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18(6), 503–520. https://doi.org/10.1108/EUM0000000006155
Laufer, W. S. (2003). Social accountability and corporate greenwashing. Journal of Business Ethics, 43(3), 253–261. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25074996
Lee, K. (2008). Opportunities for green marketing: Young consumers. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 26(6), 573–586. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500810902839
Lyon, T. P., & Maxwell, J. W. (2011). Greenwash: Corporate environmental disclosure under threat of audit. Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, 20(1), 3–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-9134.2010.00282.x
Markham, D., Khare, A., & Beckman, T. (2014). Greenwashing: A proposal to restrict its spread. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 16(4), 1450030. https://doi.org/10.1142/S1464333214500306
Mohr, L. A., Eroǧlu, D., & Ellen, P. S. (1998). The development and testing of a measure of skepticism toward environmental claims in marketers' communications. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 32(1), 30–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.1998.tb00399.x
Naresh, N. (2019, April 2). ASCI processes complaints against 415 advertisements, of which 373 were regarding misleading claims. Invetiva. https://www.inventiva.co.in/stories/inventiva/asci-processes-complaints-against-415-advertisements-of-which-373-were-regarding-misleading-claims/
Newton, J. D., Tsarenko, Y., Ferraro, C., & Sands, S. (2015). Environmental concern and environmental purchase intentions: The mediating role of learning strategy. Journal of Business Research, 68(9), 1974–1981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.01.007
Nguyen, T. T. H., Yang, Z., Nguyen, N., Johnson, L. W., & Cao, T. K. (2019). Greenwash and green purchase intention: The mediating role of green skepticism. Sustainability, 11(9), 2653. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11092653
Obermiller, C., & Spangenberg, E. R. (1998). Development of a scale to measure consumer skepticism toward advertising. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 7(2),159–186. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327663jcp0702_03
Orange, E., & Cohen, A. M. (2010). From eco-friendly to eco-intelligent. The Futurist, 44(5), 28–32. https://www.proquest.com/docview/736165378?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Magazines
Padhan, S. (2023). Urban housing for migrant students in India: Field-based evidence from the National Capital Region. Indian Journal of Human Development, 17(1), 165–178. https://doi.org/10.1177/09737030231175283
Paladino, A., & Ng, S. (2013). An examination of the influences on 'green' mobile phone purchases among young business students: An empirical analysis. Environmental Education Research, 19(1), 118–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2012.687044
Premi, H., Sharma, M., & Dangayach, G. S. (2021). Green marketing: A systematic literature review. Indian Journal of Marketing, 51(8), 39–57. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2021/v51/i8/165761
Rahman, I., Park, J., & Chi, C. G.-q. (2015). Consequences of “greenwashingâ€: Consumers' reactions to hotels' green initiatives. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(6), 1054–1081. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2014-0202
Ramus, C. A., & Montiel, I. (2005). When are corporate environmental policies a form of greenwashing? Business & Society, 44(4), 377–414. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650305278120
Reints, R. (2019, November 5). Consumers say they want more sustainable products. Now they have the receipts to prove it. Fortune. https://fortune.com/2019/11/05/sustainability-marketing-consumer-spending/
Somani, S., & Stroud, S. R. (2019). Green is the new color of money: Greenwashing and advertising ethics. The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Media Engagement, Moody College of Communication. https://mediaengagement.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/48-greenwashing-case-study.pdf
Szabo, S., & Webster, J. (2021). Perceived greenwashing: The effects of green marketing on environmental and product perceptions. Journal of Business Ethics, 171, 719–739. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04461-0
Tara, K., Singh, S., & Kumar, R. (2015). Green marketing: The new strategic imperative by firms in India. Indian Journal of Marketing, 45(7), 19–34. https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2015/v45/i7/79926
Tara, K., Singh, S., Kumar, R., & Sundararajan, M. (2019). Geographical locations of banks as an influencer for green banking adoption. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 12(1), 21–35. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2019/v12i1/141425
Thacker, H. (2019, April 8). FSSAI mandates brands to stop using misleading words in advertising food products. The CSR Journal. https://thecsrjournal.in/fssai-mandates-brands-to-stop-using-misleading-words-in-advertising-food-products/
UL Solutions. (2010). Sins of greenwashing. https://www.ul.com/insights/sins-greenwashing
Walker, K., & Wan, F. (2012). The harm of symbolic actions and green-washing: Corporate actions and communications on environmental performance and their financial implications. Journal of Business Ethics, 109, 227–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-1122-4
Zhang, L., Li, D., Cao, C., & Huang, S. (2018). The influence of greenwashing perception on green purchasing intentions: The mediating role of green word-of-mouth and the moderating role of green concern. Journal of Cleaner Production, 187, 740–750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.03.201
