Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing

This thesis examines how consumers can identify the greenwashing of corporate marketing communications and what factors influence this ability. The research is based on a qualitative study using semi-structured thematic interviews with ten participants, the target audience for environmental claims t...

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Päätekijä: Sievänen, Lotta
Muut tekijät: Jyväskylän yliopiston kauppakorkeakoulu, Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics, Jyväskylän yliopisto, University of Jyväskylä
Aineistotyyppi: Pro gradu
Kieli:eng
Julkaistu: 2025
Aiheet:
Linkit: https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/103518
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author Sievänen, Lotta
author2 Jyväskylän yliopiston kauppakorkeakoulu Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä
author_facet Sievänen, Lotta Jyväskylän yliopiston kauppakorkeakoulu Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä Sievänen, Lotta Jyväskylän yliopiston kauppakorkeakoulu Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics Jyväskylän yliopisto University of Jyväskylä
author_sort Sievänen, Lotta
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description This thesis examines how consumers can identify the greenwashing of corporate marketing communications and what factors influence this ability. The research is based on a qualitative study using semi-structured thematic interviews with ten participants, the target audience for environmental claims through different media. The results show that while consumers are generally critical of environmental claims, their ability to identify greenwashing varies considerably depending on individual factors such as education, critical thinking skills, media literacy, and personal experience. Interviewees who watch corporate marketing on social media were found to pay more attention to visual and emotional cues, while those who follow traditional media focused more on clarity of terminology and the existence of concrete evidence. Education and media literacy were found to be key tools for identifying misleading environmental cues, but trust in familiar certificates and traditional media sources also played a key role. The study underlines that although many consumers are sceptical about green marketing, this does not always lead to a change in behaviour. Moreover, the responsibility for identifying greenwashing is often unfairly placed on consumers, despite the complexity of environmental communication. The results highlight the need for clearer regulation, more transparency in corporate sustainability communication, and the inclusion of environmental and media literacy in education to help consumers better evaluate green claims. Tässä tutkielmassa tutkitaan, kuinka hyvin kuluttajat pystyvät tunnistamaan yritysten markkinointiviestinnässä viherpesun. Tutkimus perustuu laadulliseen tutkimukseen, jossa käytetään puolistrukturoituja teemahaastatteluja, joihin osallistui kymmenen henkilöä, jotka olivat kohderyhmää ympäristöä koskeville väitteille eri medioiden kautta. Tuloksista käy ilmi, että vaikka kuluttajat suhtautuvat yleisesti ottaen kriittisesti ympäristöä koskeviin väitteisiin, heidän kykynsä tunnistaa viherpesu vaihtelee huomattavasti yksilöllisten tekijöiden, kuten koulutuksen, kriittisen ajattelun taitojen, medialukutaidon ja henkilökohtaisen kokemuksen mukaan. Sosiaalista mediaa seuraavien vastaajien havaittiin kiinnittävän enemmän huomiota visuaalisiin ja emotionaalisiin vihjeisiin, kun taas perinteistä mediaa seuraavat vastaajat keskittyivät enemmän terminologian selkeyteen ja konkreettisten todisteiden olemassaoloon. Koulutus ja medialukutaito osoittautuivat keskeisiksi välineiksi harhaanjohtavien ympäristöväitteiden tunnistamisessa, mutta myös luottamus tuttuihin sertifikaatteihin ja perinteisiin medialähteisiin oli avainasemassa. Tutkimuksessa korostetaan, että vaikka monet kuluttajat suhtautuvat epäilevästi ympäristöystävälliseen markkinointiin, tämä ei aina johda käyttäytymisen muutokseen. Lisäksi vastuu viherpesun tunnistamisesta sysätään usein epäoikeudenmukaisesti kuluttajille, vaikka ympäristöviestintä on monimutkaista. Tulokset korostavat tarvetta selkeämpään sääntelyyn, yritysten vastuullisuusviestinnän avoimuuden lisäämiseen sekä ympäristö- ja medialukutaidon sisällyttämiseen koulutukseen, jotta kuluttajat voisivat paremmin arvioida vihreitä väitteitä.
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spellingShingle Sievänen, Lotta Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing Master's Degree Programme in Corporate Environmental Management
title Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_full Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_fullStr Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_full_unstemmed Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_short Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_sort consumers identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
title_txtP Consumers' identification of greenwashing in corporate marketing
topic Master's Degree Programme in Corporate Environmental Management
topic_facet Master's Degree Programme in Corporate Environmental Management
url https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/103518 http://www.urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-202506145331
work_keys_str_mv AT sievänenlotta consumersidentificationofgreenwashingincorporatemarketing