Introduction

Environmental awareness has increased dramatically in recent years. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of the products they buy, and they are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. This has led to a rise in greenwashing, which is the practice of making false or misleading claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Greenwashing is a serious problem because it can mislead consumers and undermine genuine efforts to improve sustainability. Consumers who are not able to distinguish between genuine green products and greenwashed products may make purchasing decisions that are not truly environmentally friendly. This can lead to a loss of trust in companies and brands, and it can make it more difficult for companies that are genuinely committed to sustainability to compete.

There are a number of things that consumers can do to protect themselves from greenwashing. First, it is important to be aware of the different types of greenwashing claims that companies make. Second, consumers should do their research to make sure that the products they are buying are truly environmentally friendly. Finally, consumers can support companies that are genuinely committed to sustainability by buying their products and telling their friends and family about them.



Materials and methods

The questionnaire questions are based on a five-point Likert scale. To assess the validity of the questionnaire, construct validity (external model), convergent validity (AVE), and divergent validity were used. To calculate reliability, composite reliability (CR) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were calculated for each of the factors.

To examine and describe the general characteristics of the respondents, descriptive statistical methods such as frequency distribution tables were used. Inferential statistical methods and the partial least squares technique were used to examine the research hypotheses. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23 and Smart PLS statistical software.



Findings

This research investigates the influence of brand identity dimensions (including logo, color, background image, and standard label) on the detection of greenwashing and the generation of negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). The results indicate that all five hypotheses were supported. Specifically, the findings suggest that the detection of greenwashing has a significant positive impact on NWOM, implying that consumers who are more adept at recognizing greenwashing tactics are more likely to engage in negative word-of-mouth against the brand. Furthermore, it was observed that the logo, color, background image, and standard label of products all have a significant positive impact on the consumer's ability to detect greenwashing. In other words, these brand identity dimensions can aid consumers in identifying products that have been greenwashed.



Discussion and Conclusion

This research demonstrates a significant positive correlation between the detection of greenwashing (consumer awareness of false environmental claims) and negative word-of-mouth (sharing negative experiences with others). In simpler terms, the more a consumer detects greenwashing in a product, the more likely they are to share their negative experience with others.

Furthermore, various dimensions of brand identity, including logo, color, background image, and standard label, have a significant positive impact on a consumer's detection of greenwashing.

Regarding logos, the research indicates that the type of logo and the level of brand recognition can influence a consumer's perception of a product's sustainability. Simple and natural logos convey a stronger sense of being eco-friendly, and consumers tend to trust well-known brands more. However, logos of lesser-known or unbranded products are more likely to be accused of greenwashing.

As for color, nature-evoking colors like green and blue can assist in identifying green products, but they can also be used for greenwashing. Green has the strongest association with sustainability, but blue creates the greatest sense of greenwashing in consumers.

Concerning background images, using natural images can enhance the perception of a product's greenness, but excessive use of these images without genuine green initiatives can be considered greenwashing. Images of tree leaves have the strongest association with sustainability, but images of flowers can evoke a sense of greenwashing on product labels.

Regarding standard labels, the presence of standard and recycling labels on products creates a sense of sustainability in consumers and reduces the likelihood of greenwashing. However, a warning label is recognized as a primary factor in detecting greenwashing, and products without labels are more likely to be accused. In general, consumers trust standard and recycling labels and do not perceive them as deceptive.