Greenwash and green purchase behaviour: the mediation of green brand image and green brand loyalty

Abstract

This paper discusses the influence of firms’ greenwash on their consumers’ green purchase behaviour and explores the mediation roles of their green brand image and their consumers’ green brand loyalty. This study focuses on Taiwanese consumers who have purchase experience of green products. This study uses structural equation modelling (SEM) to obtain empirical results. The results demonstrate that firms’ greenwash negatively influences their consumers’ green purchase behaviour. Besides, this research proves that firms’ greenwash is negatively related to both their green brand image and their consumers’ green brand loyalty that would positively affect their consumers’ green purchase behaviour. This paper also verifies that firms’ green brand image and their consumers’ green brand loyalty partially mediate the negative relationship between their greenwash and their consumers’ green purchase behaviour. It means that firms’ greenwash does not only have a direct negative effect on their consumers’ green purchase behaviour, but also has an indirect negative effect on it via their green brand image and their consumers’ green brand loyalty. Thus, this research suggests that firms should decrease their greenwash behaviours and increase their green brand image and their consumers’ green brand loyalty to enhance their consumers’ green purchase behaviour.