University of Twente Student Theses
Rebuilding Consumers’ Trust Towards Green Products Hindered by Greenwashing Practices : A Qualitative Study
Stoian, V.G. (2025) Rebuilding Consumers’ Trust Towards Green Products Hindered by Greenwashing Practices : A Qualitative Study.
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| Abstract: | Nowadays, greenwashing practices are gaining popularity due to the fact that companies tend more and more to use sustainability as a marketing tool. Thus, it is scientifically proven that the trust of environmentally aware consumers is negatively affected by these type of practices. This research investigates how trust of environmentally aware consumers, originating from three European countries, with different levels of income, can effectively be rebuilt post greenwashing. A qualitative methodology based on interviews has been chosen with the purpose of gathering in-depth insights into consumers’ perspectives. The model of trust rebuilding created by Xie and Peng (2009) that divides the efforts of trust rebuilding among affective, informational and functional is used a theoretical framework for this study. Based on the findings, the model is adapted to fit the specific context of rebuilding trust post greenwashing. The findings disclose that it is not an easy job for corporations to restore the trust levels of the consumers. Affective efforts such as apology messages are imperative to be made as a first step towards change. Furthermore, functional efforts such as building a concrete corrective plan of action, informational efforts such as being transparent in communication or having a third-party green certification and organisational efforts such as leadership changes are very important factors that reduces consumers’ skepticism and help them to slowly rebuild their trust in eco-friendly companies. However, long-term commitment of the company to the change is also a very important aspect to maintain an increasing trend of the trust level. Also, financial compensation has a negative effect in this context because personal values of environmentally aware consumers dictate their actions and purchasing behaviour. Thus, considering the fact that this category of consumers are not driven by monetary gain, financial compensation is seen as way to buy their trust rather than restoring it. Based on the identified factors that have demonstrated their effectiveness in the context of greenwashing, actionable practices are recommended to companies that are aiming to recover the trust of the individuals and position themselves again as a credible sustainability actor that acts in the best interests of the environmentally aware consumers. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106589 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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