Green intentions, green actions: the power of social media and the perils of greenwashing

Abstract

The deteriorating environment necessitates immediate remedial measures to preserve life forms in their natural state. There is an urgent need to regulate anthropogenic activities. This scholarly work examined the factors that lead to environmentally friendly consumption among consumers. We extended the TPB model with additional variables, namely social media marketing (SMM) and environmental concern (EC) to investigate consumers’ green purchase behavior. Furthermore, the moderating effect of greenwashing (GW) was examined. Data from 388 respondents were analyzed using the PLS-SEM technique. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study to incorporate greenwashing as a moderating variable between GPI and GPB. Finally, the study discusses theoretical and managerial implications and outlines several strategies for marketers to promote green products and mitigate the negative effects of greenwashing.