Environment, Development and Sustainability
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01202-1
Greenwash and green purchase behavior:
an environmentally sustainable perspective
Irfan Hameed1
· Zeeshan Hyder2 · Muhammad Imran3 · Kashif Shafiq2
Received: 29 October 2019 / Accepted: 26 December 2020
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. part of Springer Nature 2021
Abstract
Consumers’ interest is accelerating toward environmentally sustainable products, which
are commonly known as green products. Companies use greenwash to attract environmentally conscious consumers. The effects of greenwash have been studied on green purchase
behavior of consumers along with green brand image, green brand love, and green brand
loyalty as mediating variables. Consumers having experience of using any of the green
products have been targeted for data collection. This empirical study has been tested using
structural equation modeling (SEM). It has been proved that greenwash negatively affects
the green purchase behavior of consumers. Furthermore, green brand image, green brand
love, and green brand loyalty positively affect green purchase behavior, whereas they are
negatively influenced by greenwash. Greenwash directly as well as indirectly negatively
affects green purchase behavior. Firms must obtain consumers’ trust by diminishing greenwash and promoting green brand image, green brand love, and green brand loyalty, which
can lead the consumers toward their green purchase behavior. This study can be potential
in making firms competitive in the era of growing consumers’ concerns about environmentally sustainable products.
Keywords Greenwash · Green purchase behavior · Green brand love · Green brand image ·
Green brand loyalty
* Irfan Hameed
irfanhameed.iu@gmail.com
Zeeshan Hyder
zeeshanhyder_4@hotmail.com
Muhammad Imran
imran.imranb2001@gmail.com
Kashif Shafiq
k.shafiq@iqra.edu.pk
1
College of Business Management, Institute of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan
2
Faculty of Business Administration, Iqra University, Karachi, Pakistan
3
School of Business Management & Administrative Sciences, The Islamia University
of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
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1 Introduction
As the organizations manufacture various types of products, they must consider the concept of green marketing to sell out their products in different markets. Organizations must
produce products which are sustainable for the environment and do not cause any harmful
effect on the surroundings (Chen et al. 2018). Organizations must embrace procedures that
are vital for the usage of green showcasing ideas, as these days, clients and traditional society are more worried about global warming and its impact in green-environment utilizing
green-techniques (Wu and Lin 2017). By receiving these measures, firms can expand a bit
of their general business. They can change the perspective of their customers, which will
additionally prompt the expansion in the interest of the organization’s products (Chen and
Wu 2014). Customers are willing to select those items, which are feasible for them; their
purchasing behaviors concerning organizations can increment and enhance green purchase
behavior (Laufer 2003; Parguel et al. 2011). Greenwash is sometimes considered as a misguiding concept, which states that companies spend more resources on making consumers
know that their products are green and eco-friendly without actually implementing it into
their business practices (Chen 2008).
Companies often try to attract consumers by portraying as environmentally friendly
(Martínez et al. 2020), through deceptive advertising (Torelli et al. 2020). Concerning this,
Martínez et al. (2020) argue that eco-advertising does not fit with the organizations’ reality.
It is associated with the dissemination of false or selective messages that depict the environmental strategies of the organizations (Torelli et al. 2020). Companies also use social
media as a communicating tool to propagate false and misleading messages (Topal et al.
2019).
This study also analyzes the negative association of greenwash by companies to customers green brand love, green brand image, green image loyalty, and green purchase behavior.
Companies use greenwash behavior to increase their market shares (Chen and Chang 2013;
Horiuchi et al. 2009). If there were risks in greenwash practices of firms, it would result in
increased risk and misunderstanding of the customer’s perception of their practices about
green marketing, which would further result in a decline in sales (Hamann and Kapelus
2004). Greenwash can result in negative buyers’ perspectives toward green marketing, and
shoppers may feel that they are being deceived as well as misinformed by firms about their
products. If the firm wants to increase its market share, consumer loyalty, and positive perception through greenwash practices, then appropriate measures must be taken (Hoedeman
2002).
Such companies face strict legal sanctions from the government, and this creates confusion in the consumer’s mind, and they exhibit a negative image of the company (Braga
et al. 2019; Kahraman and Kazançoğlu 2019). In this regard, Sun and Zhang (2019) suggested the government to punish these organizations and strengthen the inspection of local
organizations. The firms should adopt those practices that are trustworthy, transparent, and
clear. They must be honest while convincing their customers for green claims made by
them (Chen 2007).
Customers seem more conscious about the greenwash practices of the firms and how
firms defy customers about their green products. Many organizations are using green practices just to become famous, increase their market share, sales, and positivity about themselves in consumers’ minds, but that is not the case. They are using practices to deceive
customers that they are using legal means of green marketing and green manufacturing, but
in reality, they are not using any of these.
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
Many companies commit any of the following sins of greenwashing; hidden trade-off,
no proof, irrelevance, lesser of two evils, vagueness, worshiping false labels, and the sin
of fibbing (TerraChoice 2009). Firms usually show less information, hide some facts, and
show only positive evidence regarding the green performance of their products. Therefore,
this research paper examines the link and relationship of greenwash practices with different variables, i.e., green brand love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty. In this
research paper, greenwash has been used as an independent variable, while the mediators
are green brand love, green brand Image, and green brand loyalty, and the dependent variable is green purchase behavior.
In order to study the consumer response toward purchasing green products in green
environmental conditions, organizations are seeking ways to match increasingly consumer
demands for products that could be least harmful to the environment (Hameed et al. 2019).
This increasing trend in the business market is a concern for organizations. To match this
market demand, organizations are molding their business strategies toward a more environmentally friendly outcome. Greenwash is simultaneously supporting organizations to
match such market demands. This research paper aims to find out the role of greenwash on
consumers’ green purchase behavior.
Many organizations to substantiate their green claims involve in more significant corporate social activities (Uyar et al. 2020; Wang et al. 2018). People from developed countries
have a keen observation of companies’ movements and scrutinize companies’ greenwashing that results in less involvement in greenwashing (Yu et al. 2020). Greenwashing offers
short-term benefits to organizations that create consumers’ skepticism and eventually negatively affect purchase intention (Zhang et al. 2018; Sun and Zhang 2019).
The objective of this research is to define the relationship between greenwash of companies with their user’s green purchase behavior and other factors that are important to their
firms. Moreover, it also finds out the mediation effect of green brand love, green brand
image, and green brand loyalty between greenwash and green purchase behavior of their
customers. This study also demonstrates the inventive framework of greenwash that is concerned with environmental practices to help firms in increasing customers buying patterns
that are based on green practices.
This research paper has five segments; the first part highlights the introduction of the
study, which is comprised of an overview, problem statement, background, objectives, and
significance of the study. The second section is a written survey, which clarifies the past
investigations directed by the researchers, analysts, and writers and features the proposed
theory of examination. The third part defines the research methods, which consist of different sub-segments that are methods, sample, measures, and statistical techniques, used in
the study. The fourth part clarifies the findings as well as results with the hypotheses evaluation review. The fifth segment examines the conclusion, discussions, and contributions,
along with future research directions.
2 Literature review
In this era, with the expansion in industrialization and urbanization, the use of greenwash
regardless of its deficiencies has risen against the regular habitat and human wellbeing
with pollution at hazardous levels (Hameed and Waris 2018). This outcome has compelled
the companies to arrange green production and influence the practices of manufacturing
countries. Firms that appreciate the strategy of consideration mooring the earth, known
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as "green," are uncertainly embraced by social demand; additionally, hold nature headway
and acknowledge programs with the base potential to save the natural environment. Buyers
likewise have essential undertakings in this issue, and the general population comes across
with the different promotional activities of the organizations (Lyon and Maxwell 2011).
Consumers have begun to help nature by utilizing their acquiring power. Using frequently welcoming things containing materials, which are less risky too, condition and
human prosperity (i.e., green products) has turned out to be crucial among consumers
because of this natural mindfulness. In this specific condition, the general population,
which means to guarantee themselves and the situation with their acquiring power, are recognized as "green consumers." On the off chance that the organizations will focus on their
green marketing battles, they will not just get their clients; however, they can turn into the
ruler of the market (Chen 2007). With the help of their campaigns, they can change their
customer’s minds and perceptions toward their product(s). However, customers summon
their ecological enthusiasm with earth benevolent purchaser conduct.
An examination performed between 1989 and 1990 backing these thoughts with an
expansion in the number of purchasers who communicated passion for the planet and a
move in the name of naturally agreeable items obtained. For instance, in 1991, agreeing to
the Simmons statistical surveying authority’s (SMRB) think about, there is a low connection between customer’s ecological concern and the eagerness to buy ecologically cordial
items. Kleiner (1991) found a frail relationship between a customers’ certain mentalities to
natural issues and actual purchasing conduct. Before the end of the 1990s, despite condition related research in highlighting writing, by and by, it had not achieved the coveted
outcome. The motivation behind this examination is to talk about the impacts of ecological
mindfulness. Green products include green item costs, green item promotions, and shoppers’ statistic characteristics on the acquiring conduct of customers and to decide whether
there is a critical connection amongst them and the level of this relationship.
2.1 Greenwash and consumers purchase behavior
Greenwash refers to the practices, which the companies use to exploit green-techniques
in production as well as the distribution of the product, whereas this may not be the case
(Horiuchi et al. 2009). They only do that to enhance the company’s image and its profit.
On the other hand, if the firm actively engages in green-activities within the operations and
they win in communicating those practices to their customers, then customers can contemplate toward green-practices (Ramus and Montiel 2005). Another study done in this regard
shows that companies embellish abundant regarding their practices; the consumers’ shoppers will not believe them (Chen and Chang 2013).
The firms should not adopt greenwash techniques because it will damage their reputation. If firms use greenwash, activities to deceive customers, ultimately, they will not
purchase their product any longer, because of that may increase their negative perception regarding the firm and its product (Kalafatis et al. 1999). Adding to the present, it
might prompt adverse verbal conduct regarding the firm’s products. Greenwash exaggerates client purchase behavior. When the firms adopt greenwash practices, their practices
affect the purchase of customer negatively (Kim and Choi 2005). If firms engage themselves in green practices and not adopt any such practices that may deceive customers, so
the customers will buy their products resulting in the positive purchase behavior of the customers. Greenwash practices also harm the customer’s attitude toward buying their products or services (Chen et al. 2015). Moreover, there will be negative word-of-mouth from
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
customers, which will further deteriorate the buying behaviors of the customers. Greenwash also hinders the green marketing of the firms.
The firms which truly adopt green marketing activities and are not deceiving customers
are trying to make the environment healthy. They would also be perceived as unfavorable
because of the perception being developed in customers’ minds about the overall general
practices of the firm’s greenwash activities (Chen and Chang 2012). Therefore, to stop this
negative word-of-mouth and to change customer’s perception from negative to positive,
companies should invest their money in green marketing and green advertising practices to
change the mindsets of customers. If the companies are successful in changing the perceptions of customers by sincerely investing in green marketing activities, this will also result
in the positive buying behavior of the customers for the firm’s products or services.
H1 Firms’ greenwashing negatively affects their consumers green purchase behavior.
2.2 Greenwash and green brand love
Companies adopt greenwash measures to save their cost and to increase their profits. This
is because by adopting greenwash measures, companies can deploy low-cost manufacturing machines and inexpensive advertising methods that result in low-quality products and
further degrading the environment. Companies do not take any actions on how to save biological life (Polonsky et al. 2010). One of the essential matters in recent times is the dumping of raw chemicals in the rivers by the companies. Many industries are located alongside
the riverbeds, and they are continuously dumping their waste into the rivers, killing marine
life in rivers and sea. They are adopting these measures, but to deceive customers, they are
using fake advertisements where they claim that they are using green manufacturing techniques. This damages customers’ brand love of their products (Hamann and Kapelus 2004).
Greenwash damages brand loyalty, brand image, and as well as brand love and negatively affects customer purchase behavior for the company’s products and services. This is
because the customers think that if he is paying for the brand, so he is expecting that brand
is trustworthy, honest, competent, and responsible (Mudambi et al. 1997). According to
green marketing, trust is defined as intentions, which are based upon positive expectations
of a particular thing. Customers want value from the products they are consuming. They do
not like to be deceived by the companies (Cretu and Brodie 2007). They want trustworthy
products. Greenwash acts as a barrier to building customer trust and brand love for the
product. When the customers are more aware of the greenwashing claims by the companies, they will feel more confused about the green marketing claims and corporate social
responsibility by the companies.
When the customer thinks that they are confused about any purchase behavior, they
may delay the purchase decision, which can affect brand loyalty and brand love, which
can affect a company’s performance negatively. Consumer confusion may cause negative
consequences, and one of them is indicated as distrust. The point is that confused consumers have more distrust toward the companies providing them with uncertain and conflicting information about the product. Similar to the relationship between confusion and trust
confusion about companies, environmental claims are negatively related to the green trust.
Companies should adopt green manufacturing techniques so that they may increase brand
love for their products, and many decrease the state of confusion in the mindset of customers. If the customers have a positive attitude and positive purchase intentions, they will
eventually purchase their products and will increase brand love in customer’s minds.
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H2 Firms’ greenwashing negatively affects their consumers green brand love.
2.3 Greenwash and green brand image
The practices of greenwash are a great deal rife within the trade, and companies exaggerate related to their merchandise being environmentally friendly. However, they are
not. Greenwash undermines the whole cluster of green selling. Thanks to these reasons, customers are laborious to trust in green selling campaigns (Polonsky et al. 2010).
Organizations around the world should and must adopt the measures that have an impact
on individuals and society. If companies avoid using greenwash practices, then the situation of global warming will become worse, leading to dangerous consequences. Therefore,
the companies ought to avoid greenwash exceptionally and take measures to raise their
green-practices. The products are purchased for many benefits, e.g., brand name, an
image like emblematic edges, utilitarian blessings, and further for experiential advantage. Greenwash may increase a customer’s state of confusion because of green-victimization, which means that they make it harder for them to judge that companies are not
producing environment-friendly products (Gillespie 2008).
The demand for green brands is increasing day by day, as they are growing awareness
of global warming among the people. The pollution is rising in the world, especially in
Third-World countries. In the Third-World countries, several companies are polluting the
environment by contaminating the seawater and the rivers (Waris and Hameed 2020).
These practices have been in place for a number of years, but the governments are not
taking action against these because of the power of those companies, as some of those
companies are big multi-nationals (Self et al. 2010). Giant multinational corporations just
focus on their financial aspects, their own shareholder’s interest, and their point of profit
maximization. The case is not the same in economically developed nations, where there
are proper rules and regulations about the practices and environmental protection. Companies must adopt green practices to cope up with environmental hazards, so that loss can be
minimized.
H3 Firms’ greenwashing negatively influences their green brand image.
2.4 Greenwash and green brand loyalty
Loyalty depicts the strength of a customer’s happiness for a specific product. Greenwash may hinder green marketing; as a result, it will increase customers’ risk. It shows
the negative relationship between greenwash perceptions and their apparent green risks
(Dick and Basu 1994). The corporation’s greenwash is associated with its consumer’s
green superficial risks and negatively associated with customers’ green image. Greenwash
conjointly adversely affects the customer’s perception regarding environmental protection.
Companies’ greenwash activities can hurt consumer’s loyalty toward the consumer’s purchase loyalty (Oliver 1999).
Consumers stop buying those products, which they feel are harmful to the environment. These practices are very different in developed and less developed countries. In
developed nations, public is very well educated, so in those countries, there are very
much aware of products that which products are beneficial to the environment and
what products are harmful to the environment (Chen 2013). Whereas, in less developed
nations, there is a lack of education among the public, so the people living in those
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
nations do not have much information about the harmful effects of products and what
products are beneficial for their domestic use and the surroundings.
The consumers of underdeveloped nations continue to consume products without
ascertaining the possible advantages of the consumption of those products (Lin et al.
2017). Living in a sense where there is not much variety of products available for them
to use and to consume. It’s opposite in developed nations, where people are aware of
the greenwash practices (Slaughter 2008). Therefore, companies must leave greenwash
practices and try to adopt real measures so that they can build trust and brand loyalty
among the consumers about their products. Consumers do not feel the companies are
betraying them in the name of green practice. Furthermore, if a consumer perceives
the product of a particular firm better, then the attitude and retention ratio of customers
toward the specific product will improve and will also lead to optimistic word-of-mouth.
People will be more interested in buying their products; thus, we hypothesize:
H4 Firms’ greenwashing negatively affects their consumer’s green brand loyalty.
2.5 Green brand love and green purchase behavior
Brand love is quite a new term in consumer behavior studies, and many people are even
not aware of this term. Despite its clear advantages, research on brand love is scarce,
and as a concept insufficiently developed (Palusuk et al. 2019). Customers may develop
a feeling of love toward any product but may need time for further learning. Brands
hold an important place in the customer’s everyday life (Dowling 1986). The idea of
brand love is very vibrant, but still, it needs extensive research. Many characteristics are
associated with brand love, which includes brand attachment, and passion for a brand,
positive evaluation for a brand, and a declaration of love and positive emotions toward a
brand. Loyal customers, develop a long-term relationship between the brands because of
their brand attachment (Flavian et al. 2005).
Those customers who have more brand love purchase more of particular products
as compared to people having a low level of brand love. This is because people having
high brand love for a specific product will have high brand attachments and high brand
affection, and they will feel satisfied and motivated to purchase that particular product.
According to research, the connection we make with the brand can be as deep as emotions and feelings and as same as the relationship with other people (Wang and Tsai
2014). Even some people have tattooed brand logos to show brand love, and in fact, 75%
of the buying experience is based on emotions. Brand love is becoming an indispensable tool in the field of customer satisfaction. This is the reason why companies develop
strategies to increase brand love in customer’s minds. The emotional attachment leads
to similar results as to brand love because they both are the same in general, and this
results in higher brand loyalty and emotional commitment. A person with a brand love
will be having a positive attitude and perception toward a particular product as compared to a person who will not be having brand love toward a product. There is a positive relationship between brand love and purchase behavior of the customer. The more
the brand love, the more the product will be purchased and less the brand love, the less
the product purchase.
H5 Green brand love of consumers positively affects their green purchase behavior.
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2.6 Brand image and green purchase behavior
In today’s world, the purchase behavior of a customer depends upon many factors from
which brand image is a critical factor. The image can be considered as “the set of beliefs,
ideas, and impression that a person holds regarding an object” (Chakraborty and Biswal
2020). Companies develop brand image based upon several categories, for example, its
sales value, quality, packaging, value-added services, cost, etc. Companies should keep in
mind these factors while keeping in view the brand image of a particular product so that
their product’s value could increase, including its sales, etc. (Papasolomou et al. 2009).
There is a positive relationship between the brand image of a product and the consumer
buying behavior. If the brand holds a negative brand image, then the purchase behavior of
that particular product will be negative. On the contrary, if a specific product contains a
positive brand image in a consumer’s mind, then the purchase behavior will eventually be
positive (Wu et al. 2018). For example, keeping in view products, especially Apple and
Samsung, to name a few, these companies are tech giants. These two companies have transformed themselves into leading mobile companies. These two companies have billions of
dollars in value and wealth. This is because they have developed their brand image in just
a few years to capture almost the whole of the customer base around the world (Kalafatis
et al. 1999). Apple has also invested heavily in the eco-friendly environment, and the headquarter of Apple is environmentally friendly. This is the reason; customers have positive
purchase behavior toward these tech giants.
Brand image also affects the customer’s attitudes and perceptions. Attitudes and perceptions also play a very important role in customer buying behavior. Attitudes and perceptions are tough to change, as these are intangible factors. It shows a direct relationship between green brand image and green purchase behavior of the customers (Shah et al.
2012). As of this, the concept of green brand image is more important for the firms because
of increasing customer awareness about green-buying behavior and is restricted by the governments in terms of environmental policies. Companies should apply the techniques of
green marketing in their green purchase behavior to achieve a competitive edge over other
players in the industries.
A positive brand image has an increasing effect on the customers buying patterns and
will reduce customers’ risk about health concerns. Poor brand image will harm a firm, will
diminish their productivity, will additionally diminish their interest in the goods, and will
likewise severely harm customer-buying expectations. Furthermore, if a consumer will perceive that a particular product of that specific firm is better, so this will improve the attitude
toward the particular product and will lead to positive word-of-mouth. People will be more
interested in buying their products. Negative brand image will negatively result the consumer perception, and a positive brand image will have an effect on consumer perception
in a positive way.
H6 Green brand image of firms positively affects their consumers green purchase behavior.
2.7 Brand loyalty and green purchase behavior
It shows a direct relationship between green brand loyalty and green purchase behavior.
Brand Loyalty refers to a customer’s purchase behavior, where the customer purchases
the products regularly. Trust is typically found to be more critical during the early stages
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of a relationship, while benevolence trust increases as the relationship develop, and buyers begin to consider themselves as loyal customers (Riquelme et al. 2019). Companies take several measures to increase brand loyalty as they do to improve the brand
trust in the customer’s mind to increase the repeated purchase behavior of the customers
(Souiden and Pons 2009).
Customer loyalty is the first step toward any buying behavior. Initially, the customer starts from the information component of any particular product. Then they
move toward the feeling component of that particular product and then move toward
the behavioral component of their purchase behavior (Malik et al. 2013). Companies
try to promote and sell their products and services by using false claims as being green,
but customers do not buy those goods (Chi et al. 2009). There is a positive relationship
between brand loyalty and its purchase pattern by the customer. If there is low or negative brand loyalty in the customer’s mind for a particular product, then the customer will
not purchase that product or will buy that product but in a very little quantity because of
urgency (Balmer et al. 2009). If there is positive brand loyalty, then the customer will
purchase more of that product because of the customer’s liking to the product, and the
customer may have a positive word-of-mouth of that product. He/she may advise other
customers to purchase that product.
Therefore, to build positive brand loyalty or brand attractiveness in the customer mind,
companies must take serious steps (Tariq et al. 2013). They must involve the customer in
their decision-making process to determine their customer wants, perceived quality, and
eco-friendly manufacturing process. Now a day, customers purchase more of a product,
which has been prepared in clean environments or green conditions without having adverse
effects on their health or any natural habitat. Companies should avoid greenwash practices
(Jalilvand et al. 2011). They must be truthful and sincere in their business practices without
having any unfair advantage of customer loyalty and trust for the product and service. They
must be loyal to the customer. This is because if the companies adopt green manufacturing
techniques and green marketing to green products, this will induce positive emotions about
the product in the customer’s mind. Customers will purchase more of the product because
they will be aware that companies are not deceiving them by greenwash measures (Chen
2010).
However, if the companies will adopt greenwash measures without telling the customers, then in return, it will harm the company’s reputations and further decrease the company’s turnover.
H7 Green Brand Loyalty of consumers positively affects their green purchase behavior.
2.8 Mediation effect of green brand love
This study argues that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their green brand
love, which positively affects their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H2 and H5.
Besides, this research posits that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H1. Thus, greenwash of firms can not only affect their
consumers’ green purchase behavior directly but also influence it via their green brand love
based on the above arguments. Consequently, this paper argues that green brand love of
firms plays the role of partial mediator in the research framework and implies the following
hypothesis:
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H8 Green brand love of firms partially mediates the negative relationship between their
greenwash and their consumers’ green purchase behavior.
2.9 Mediation effect of green brand image
This study argues that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their green brand
image, which positively affects their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H3 and H6.
Also, this research posits that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H1. Thus, greenwash of firms can not only affect their consumers’ green purchase behavior directly but also influence it via their green brand image
based on the above arguments. Consequently, this paper argues that a green brand image of
firms plays the role of partial mediator in the research framework and implies the following
hypothesis:
H9 Green brand image of firms partially mediates the negative relationship between their
greenwash and their consumers’ green purchase behavior.
2.10 Mediation effect of green brand loyalty
This study argues that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their green brand
loyalty, which positively affects their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H4 and H7. In
addition, this research posits that the greenwash of firms is negatively related to their consumers’ green purchase behavior in H1. Thus, greenwash of firms can not only affect their
consumers’ green purchase behavior directly but also influence it via their green brand loyalty based on the above arguments. Consequently, this paper argues that green brand loyalty of firms plays the role of partial mediator in the research framework and implies the
following hypothesis:
H10 Green brand loyalty of firms partially mediates the negative relationship between
their Greenwash and their consumers’ green purchase behavior.
2.11 Sequential mediation of green brand image, green brand love, green brand
loyalty
Greenwash is an attempt to deceive consumers through false claims about products. It hampers the green brand image of the product as hypothesized in H3. Brand image is the perception toward a brand, and it develops over a period. The brand image gives intangible
benefits to the company; e.g., it has a strong positive impact on brand love (Aaker, 1997;
Fournier 1998). As argued by Bergkvist and Larsen (2010); and Ismail and Spinelli (2012)
that brand love is derived from a favorable brand image. A satisfied customer is emotionally attached to the brand; this is the brand love of the individual (Carroll and Ahuvia
2006), which can be translated into brand loyalty. Brand love brings long-term outcomes
in the form of brand loyalty (Song et al. 2019). Brand loyalty gives an edge to the company
over competing brands (Mascarenhas et al. 2006). Loyal customers do not value much of
the price differences, which results in encouraging purchase behavior in H7. The serial
relationship between green brand image, green brand love, green brand loyalty, and green
purchase behavior is positive. The predictor greenwash coverts this flow into the negative
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
direction by diminishing green purchase behavior by adversely inducing all of the mediating constructs, i.e., green brand image, green brand love, and green loyalty, hence we
hypothesize:
H11 Green Brand Image, Green Brand Love, and Green Brand Loyalty sequentially mediate their negative relationship between their Greenwash and their consumers’ Green Purchase Behavior.
3 Research methodology
This research focuses on Pakistani consumers with knowledge of green products. Every
respondent had to decide the specific product according to his or her choice. The choice of
the product can be developed when every respondent regards any brand as an essential or
central brand. Data have been collected from random consumers who have used any of the
green product(s).
3.1 Sample
Non-probability based purposive sampling technique has been used to obtain responses
from the consumers and reach the desired sample size. The research employed a survey
method for the collection of data from the targeted population. Pakistan is a developing
country, and the concept of green marketing and the purchase of green products is new in
the country. It has been decided to take a random selection according to the age group, residence (the residence further divided among urban and rural), gender, and knowledge of the
person for the product. Data have been collected through online as well as offline mediums.
The online questionnaire was distributed through social media sites including, Facebook,
WhatsApp groups, and a total of 229 valid responses have been received. The questionnaire was further distributed physically to active shoppers during shopping in supermarkets
and retail stores. The physical distribution of the questionnaire has achieved a total of 349
responses. After the data screening, 564 surveys have been retained for data analysis.
3.2 Instrument
A closed-Ended questionnaire has been used in this research based on five points Likert
scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree).
3.2.1 Greenwash
Five items scale developed by Chen and Chang (2013) has been used for the measurement
of greenwash (1) The brand deceives me by methods of words in its green features; (2)
The brand misleads me by means of visuals or graphics in its environmental highlights;
(3) The brand deceives me by means of green claims that are unclear; (4) The brand misrepresents or exaggerates its green; (5) The brand hides important information, making the
green claim sound better than it is.
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3.2.2 Green brand image
Five items scale of green brand image has been taken from the study of Chen (2013),
which includes (1) The brand is considered as the best benchmark of sustainable development; (2) the brand is specialized in green reputation; (3) the brand is excellent about
environmental features; (4) the brand is outstanding about environmental performance;
(5) the brand is reliable about sustainable development.
3.2.3 Brand love
Brand Love scale has been adopted from the study of Carroll and Ahuvia (2006), (1)
This brand makes me feel good; (2) This brand is totally awesome; (3) I have neutral
feelings about this brand; (4) This brand makes me very happy; (5) I love this brand (6)
I have no particular feelings about this brand; (7) This brand is a pure delight; (8) I am
passionate about this brand; (9) I’m very attached to this brand; (10) This is a wonderful
brand.
3.2.4 Green brand loyalty
Chen’s (2013) study has been used to measure green brand loyalty. The measurement of
green brand loyalty includes four items: (1) I am eager to repurchase the brand due to
its environmental performance; (2) I prefer buying the brand to other brands due to its
environmental functionality; (3) I rarely consider switching to their brands due to the
brand’s environmental features; (4) I intend to continue purchasing the brand since it is
environmentally friendly.
3.2.5 Green purchase behavior
The scale developed by Kim and Choi (2005) has been used to measure green purchase
behavior, and its measurement includes three items: (1) I purchase the brand due to its
environmental concern; (2) I will purchase the brand in the future due to its environmental performance; (3) Overall, I am happy to purchase the brand since it is environmentally friendly.
3.3 Data analysis
The current study has employed the smart PLS 3.2.8 software to validate the Partial
Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) (Ringle et al. 2018). The PLSSEM is evaluated into a two-step approach, such as measurement model and structural
model (Hair et al. 2014).
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
Table 1 Reliability and validity
Constructs
Cronbach’s Alpha
Composite reliability
Average variance
extracted (AVE)
Brand love
0.792
0.856
0.544
Brand image
Brand loyalty
Greenwash
Purchase behavior
0.681
0.765
0.654
0.675
0.781
0.774
0.814
0.822
0.544
0.534
0.597
0.607
Fig. 1 Average variance extraction
Table 2 Fornell and Larcker criteria (discriminate validity)
Construct
Brand love
Brand image
Brand loyalty
Greenwash
Purchase behavior
Brand love
0.737
–
–
–
–
Brand image
Brand loyalty
Greenwash
Purchase behavior
0.448
0.233
0.304
0.487
0.737
0.43
0.411
0.455
–
0.731
0.158
0.476
–
0.773
0.3
–
–
0.779
4 Findings
4.1 Measurement model
The measurement model is used to test scale reliability and validity. The reliability
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I. Hameed et al.
Table 3 HTMT
Constructs
Brand love
Brand image
Brand loyalty
Greenwash
Purchase
behavior
Brand love
–
–
–
–
–
Brand image
Brand loyalty
Greenwash
Purchase behavior
0.635
0.333
0.417
0.645
–
0.753
0.652
0.715
–
–
0.315
0.773
–
–
0.457
–
–
–
–
Table 4 Structural model
Hypothesis
Brand love → Purchase Behavior
Brand image → Purchase Behavior
Brand loyalty → Purchase Behavior
Greenwash → Brand love
Greenwash → Brand image
Greenwash → Brand loyalty
Greenwash → Purchase behavior
Beta
Standard
deviation
T statistics
P values
Decision
0.324
0.044
7.372
0.000
Accepted
0.127
0.331
0.304
0.411
0.158
0.300
0.045
0.042
0.049
0.042
0.052
0.048
2.818
7.905
6.243
9.808
3.053
6.218
0.005
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.002
0.000
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
Accepted
of the model is evaluated to use the Cronbach alpha and composite reliability criteria. Sekaran and Bougie (2016) stated that the values of Cronbach alpha and composite
reliability should be more than 0.70. Moreover, the average variance extracted (AVE)
values should be more than 0.50 to validate the scale internal consistency (Hair et al.
2014). However, the present study found the values of Cronbach alpha, composite
reliability, and AVE are within the recommended limit, and the results can be seen in
Table 1 and Fig. 1.
Furthermore, the measurement model used the Fornell and Larcker’s (1981) criteria to
validate the discriminant validity of scales. The discriminant validity was tested by comparing the correlation matrix values with the square root of the AVEs in the diagonals. The
current study presented the results in Table 2 that all the values of the square root of the
AVEs in the diagonals are higher than the inter-correlation with other constructs, thus confirming the discriminant validity. The result can be seen in Table 2.
Moreover, heterotrait–monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT) is a new criterion to evaluate the discriminant validity (Hair et al. 2016). The values of HTMT should be less than
1. Therefore, this study found that all values of HTMT are under 1. The results can be seen
in Table 3.
4.2 Structural model
After the successful validation of the measurement model, the current study evaluates
the structural model to use the three different criteria, such as path coefficient and model
fitness. The bootstrapping option was used to test the statistical significance of the path
coefficient. The hypotheses of this study have been tested to use the t-value 1.96 at 0.05
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
Table 5 Mediation results
Beta
Greenwash → Brand love→ Purchase behavior
Greenwash → Brand image → Purchase behavior
Greenwash → Brand loyalty → Purchase behavior
Standard
deviation
T Statistics
P values
Decision
0.098
0.021
4.624
0.000
Accepted
0.052
0.052
0.019
0.017
2.683
3.108
0.007
0.002
Accepted
Accepted
Fig. 2 Direct and indirect relationship
significant values. However, the path coefficient values should be greater than 1.96 t-value
and less than 0.05 significant value. In the case of deviating proposed values, the hypotheses are considered rejected.
Therefore, according to Table 4, the direct relationship between all hypotheses from H1
to H7 found positive and significant. In other words, all values of t-statistics were more
than 1.96, and all values of the significant level were less than 0.05.
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I. Hameed et al.
Fig. 2 (continued)
Furthermore, the total effect of accepted hypotheses can be seen in figures (a to f).
The mediating role of brand love has been found positive and significant between
greenwash and consumer purchasing behavior. Hence, the hypothesis (H8) is accepted.
Moreover, the mediating role of the brand image was found positive and significant
between greenwash and consumer purchasing behavior; thus, the hypothesis (H9) is
accepted. Furthermore, the current study identified the mediating role of brand loyalty
between greenwash and consumer purchasing behavior, and therefore, the hypothesis
(H10) is also accepted. The results of all mediating variables can be seen of in Table 5.
Figure 2 has been used to determine the mediation type. Brand love, brand image,
and brand loyalty have been found to have a partial mediating type role between greenwash and purchasing behavior.
The significance value for the serial mediation of brand image, brand love, and brand
loyalty between greenwash and green purchase behavior is 0.007, which is less than
0.05. Hence, the hypothesis (H11) has been accepted. Greenwash negatively influences
green purchase behavior through the path of green brand image, green brand love, and
green brand loyalty (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3 Serial mediation
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
Table 6 Fitness of model
Model fit
Saturated model
Estimated model
SRMR
0.099
0.13
4.3 Fitness of model
According to Garson (2016), there are many methods to validate the fitness of model
such as R2, f2, VIF, and SRMR. However, the current study employed the SRMR
method to validate the fitness of the model. SRMR calculates the approximate of the fitness of the research model. Hu and Bentler (1998) presented that the researcher model
has good fitness if SRMR is less than 0.08. Moreover, according to Henseler et al.
(2014), the lenient cut-off value is 0.10 of SRMR. However, the present study found
acceptable values; the result can be seen in Table 6.
5 Conclusion
Companies are adopting green marketing strategies to achieve a competitive advantage.
With the advent of an increase in the demand for green products, the companies are
striving to adopt green practices. There is an overall 70% increase in the production of
green products (TerraChoice 2010). It has been suggested that the company’s claims
must reflect the actual picture, but still, the idea of greenwash is prevalent (Chen and
Chang 2013). Greenwashing is an obstacle to the success of green marketing. Although
some researches have highlighted the importance of green marketing, there is no substantial work suggesting the ways for improvement of green purchase behavior in the
presence of greenwash (Chen et al. 2018).
This study develops an empirical model to highlight the effects of greenwash on the
green purchase behavior of the consumers. The model has been designed to keep related
variables into account, i.e., green brand love, green brand image, green brand loyalty as
mediators. In this study, we endorse that green purchase behavior can be increased by
decreasing greenwash. This can be achieved through green brand love, green brand image,
and green brand loyalty. Greenwash and green purchase behavior is partially mediated
through green brand love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty. Growing consumer
sustainable environmental needs can be fulfilled by increasing green brand love, green
brand image, and green brand loyalty for their brands and by decreasing greenwash. It has
been proved that greenwash directly and negatively affects the green purchase behavior of
the consumers. Besides this direct relationship, it has also validated that there are three
indirect and negative relationships of greenwash through green brand love, green brand
image, and green brand loyalty toward green purchase behavior.
6 Discussions
Firstly, it has been substantiated that greenwash creates a negative impact on green
purchase behavior. Secondly, the negative relationship between greenwash and green
purchase behavior is partially mediated by green brand love, green brand image, and
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I. Hameed et al.
green brand loyalty. Thirdly, the greenwash leads to negative green brand love, green
brand image, and green brand loyalty of the firm. It has been suggested that companies must decrease greenwash to increase green purchase behavior. The firms should
also increase green brand love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty to increase
green purchase behavior. Thus, all of the proposed hypotheses have been accepted, and
results were found consistent with the existing studies (Ismail and Spinelli 2012; Song
et al. 2019; Chen et al. 2018). Except those, which have been tested for the first time
and have been mentioned in the contributions section.
It is further suggested that greenwash affects the green purchase in the following
ways; Firstly, green purchase behavior is directly and negatively affected by greenwash.
Secondly, green brand love partially mediates the relationship between greenwash and
green purchase behavior. Thirdly, a green brand image partially mediates the relationship between greenwash and green purchase behavior. Fourthly, green brand loyalty
partially mediates the relationship between greenwash and green purchase behavior.
In order to make green marketing effective and promote products better in the market,
firms must diminish their greenwash activities. Greenwash has the following inadequacies; green brand love decreases by firms’ greenwash activities. Green brand image
hampers with firms greenwashing attitude. Green brand loyalty suffers from a firm’s
greenwash behavior. The growing demand for green products can be tapped by increasing green purchase behavior through a decrease in greenwash. This can be attained
by mounting green brand love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty. Firms by
virtue of their possessions and capital have the power to eradicate the factors causing
greenwash, leading to an increase in green purchase behavior, and also by intensifying the positive elements e.g., green brand love, green brand image and green brand
loyalty.
7 Theoretical contributions
This research paper contributes to the literature in the following ways;
Green purchase behavior is affected by greenwash through green brand love, green
brand image, and green brand loyalty. The research on green marketing is further
extended by green brand love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty leading to
green purchase behavior. The study also suggests that the usage of greenwash decreases
green purchase behavior. Greenwash also limits green brand love green brand image
and green brand loyalty. Few researchers have identified the negative effect of greenwash on the brand image (Polonsky et al. 2010), and brand loyalty (Chen et al. 2018),
however, none of the research has identified the effect on brand love. Greenwash affecting green purchase behavior can be extracted from literature, but using green brand
love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty has never been studied before. It has
also been verified that there is a strong tie of green brand love, green brand image,
green brand loyalty, and green purchase behavior. It is further added that green purchase behavior can be attained by decreasing greenwash and increasing green brand
love, green brand image, and green brand loyalty. The field of green marketing is also
extended by analyzing the sequential mediating effect of green brand image, green
brand love, and green brand loyalty between greenwash and green purchase behavior.
In this way, the present study is also contributing to greenwash literature.
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Greenwash and green purchase behavior: an environmentally…
8 Practical contributions
It has been identified that green purchase behavior, along with the green brand image,
green brand love, and green brand loyalty can be increased by reducing greenwash. Consumer cynicism toward green products can be increased by communicating fairly with
the consumer by diminishing greenwash and enhancing green brand love, green brand
image, and green brand loyalty. Green brand love can make consumers more enthusiastic about green products, which is depicted in their green purchase behavior. Green
brand image should be increased because this will increase green purchase behavior;
hence green brand image has been used as a mediator. Companies can also increase consumers’ green purchase behavior by increasing green brand loyalty, so it has also been
used as a mediator. The constructs which positively affect green purchase behavior,
greenwash affects them negatively like, green brand image, green brand love, and green
brand loyalty. Green purchase behavior is affected adversely by greenwash even to the
extent that greenwash negatively affects green purchase behavior sequentially through
the green brand image, green brand love, and green brand loyalty.
The effectiveness of green marketing relies heavily on the trust of the consumers on
green claims, which can be attained by reducing greenwash. The factors causing greenwash must be identified, and a strategy to be formulated to exterminate them. The companies must not over-promise while doing green marketing. Reduction of greenwash
will increase green brand image, green brand love, green brand loyalty, and eventually
green purchase behavior.
9 Future research
This research can be further extended in the area in several ways. This paper has examined deceptive claims about green products. However, further research can be conducted
to understand the behavior of consumers toward regular products. The purchase behavior of consumers regarding regular products can be further compared with green products. While this research has been done in a developing country, a similar study can be
conducted in developed countries, and relevant findings can be compared. Research can
be extended further by using some moderating variables, for example, consumer trust
(Noh and Johnson 2019). The attitude of the people also changes over time. Therefore, a
longitudinal research design can also be applied for a similar study.
Compliance with ethical standards
Conflicts of interest The authors do not have any conflict of interest.
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