Greenwashing: Unmasking the Hype and Finding the Truth

Abstract

The escalating practice of greenwashing, where companies use deceptive marketing to promote an environmentally friendly image, significantly erodes consumer trust and undermines the credibility of the sustainable market. While much of the existing research has focused on defining and classifying greenwashing from an organizational standpoint, a significant lacuna in current scholarship is the absence of a practical, evidence-based framework that equips consumers to discern and respond to misleading claims. This study fills that void by developing a novel, consumer-centric framework designed to detect greenwashing. The research employs a theory synthesis methodology, integrating insights from the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Signaling Theory, and Legitimacy Theory to develop a robust guiding framework. This framework is structured to empower consumers by teaching them how to move from a surface-level, low-involvement assessment of green claims to a more rigorous, critical evaluation of a company’s environmental commitments. The significant contribution of this work is the creation of a powerful, step-by-step tool that not only enhances consumer protection but also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals by fostering responsible consumption and production. By empowering consumers to actively avoid greenwashing, this study places a bottom-up burden on companies, thereby encouraging accountability, rewarding genuine sustainability practices, and discouraging deceptive marketing.