LITERATURE REVIEW ON PERCEIVED GREENWASHING AND GREEN PURCHASE INTENTION: A BIBLIOMETRIC AND SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62985/j.huit_ojs.vol26.no3E.505Keywords:
Green skepticism, greenwashing, green purchase intention.Abstract
In the context of growing attention to sustainable consumption, corporate greenwashing has become a significant concern as it may erode consumers’ ecological trust. This study aims to provide a comprehensive mapping of the research landscape on corporate greenwashing and systematically synthesize existing literature regarding its impact on green purchase intention. Through this process, the study identifies existing research gaps and proposes an integrated conceptual model. Regarding the data, the study draws on a sample of 99 quality academic articles collected from the Scopus and Web of Science databases covering the period from 2016 to 2026. The primary analytical approach employed is bibliometric analysis using the Biblioshiny tool, combined with qualitative synthesis and content analysis of relevant studies. The findings indicate that psychological states such as green skepticism and green confusion play a crucial mediating role in reducing consumers’ green purchase intention, while the moderating role of greenwashing literacy in this relationship remains underexplored. In addition, the study highlights a lack of cross-cultural empirical testing, particularly in developing markets. From the perspective of the S-O-R framework, the study suggests that greenwashing may weaken consumers’ trust, thereby influencing their psychological responses and purchase intentions. Based on these findings, it recommends that marketing managers prioritize transparency and verifiability in green communications to strengthen and restore consumer trust. Furthermore, future research should examine the influence of cultural characteristics and e-commerce contexts on green consumer behavior.
References
[1] X. Lu et al., “How does young consumers’ greenwashing perception impact their green purchase intention in the fast fashion industry? An analysis from the perspective of perceived risk theory,” Sustainability, vol. 14, no. 20, Art. no. 13473, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013473
[2] J. Yu, Y. Yang, and H. Wang, “The influence of greenwashing perceptions on consumer purchase intentions in the Chinese fashion industry,” Innovative Marketing, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 65–74, 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.21511/im.21(1).2025.06
[3] N. Le et al., “Greenwashing and the purchase behavior toward electric motorbikes: The role of eco-literacy,” Journal of Marketing Communications, pp. 1–31, 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2024.2413401
[4] A. U. Rehman et al., “Role of greenwashing in influencing brand attitude and consumption: Identifying sustainable business strategies,” Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 6686–6703, 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4300
[5] M. Zioło, I. Bąk, and A. Spoz, “Literature review of greenwashing research: State of the art,” Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, vol. 31, no. 6, 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2842
[6] G. Nyilasy, H. Gangadharbatla, and A. Paladino, “Perceived greenwashing: The interactive effects of green advertising and corporate environmental performance on consumer reactions,” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 125, pp. 693–707, 2014, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1944-3
[7] C. N. Leonidou and D. Skarmeas, “Gray shades of green: Causes and consequences of green skepticism,” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 144, pp. 401–415, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2829-4
[8] L. A. Mohr, D. Eroǧlu, and P. S. Ellen, “The development and testing of a measure of skepticism toward environmental claims in marketers’ communications,” Journal of Consumer Affairs, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 30–55, 1998, doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.1998.tb00399.x
[9] C. Obermiller, E. Spangenberg, and D. L. MacLachlan, “Ad skepticism: The consequences of disbelief,” Journal of Advertising, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 7–17, 2005, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2005.10639199
[10] S. P. Yang et al., “Consumer confusion and green consumption intentions from the perspective of food-related lifestyles on organic infant milk formulas,” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 4, Art. no. 1606, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su13041606
[11] Y. S. Chen and C. H. Chang, “Enhance green purchase intentions: The roles of green perceived value, green perceived risk, and green trust,” Management Decision, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 502–520, 2012, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/00251741211216250
[12] N. Eng et al., “‘I had no idea that greenwashing was even a thing’: Identifying the cognitive mechanisms of exemplars in greenwashing literacy interventions,” Environmental Education Research, vol. 27, no. 11, pp. 1599–1617, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1976732
[13] M. Spence, “Job market signaling,” The Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 87, no. 3, pp. 355–374, 1973, doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010
[14] R. S. Lazarus, Emotion and Adaptation. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991, doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780195069945.001.0001
[15] L. Watson and M. T. Spence, “Causes and consequences of emotions on consumer behaviour: A review and integrative cognitive appraisal theory,” European Journal of Marketing, vol. 41, no. 5–6, pp. 487–511, 2007, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560710737570
[16] A. Mehrabian and J. A. Russell, An Approach to Environmental Psychology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1974.
[17] R. E. Petty and J. T. Cacioppo, “The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion”, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 19, pp. 123–205, 1986, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60214-2
[18] Y. S. Chen and C. H. Chang, “Greenwash and green trust: The mediation effects of green consumer confusion and green perceived risk,” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 114, no. 3, pp. 489–500, 2013, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1360-0
[19] S. K. Goh and M. S. Balaji, “Linking green skepticism to green purchase behavior,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 131, pp. 629–638, 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.04.122
[20] S. Szabo and J. Webster, “Perceived greenwashing: The effects of green marketing on environmental and product perceptions,” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 171, pp. 719–739, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04461-0
[21] A. D. Do et al., “Antecedents of Gen Z’s green purchase intention in Vietnam’s fashion industry with the moderating role of greenwash perception,” PLOS ONE, vol. 20, no. 5, Art. no. e0324923, 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324923
[22] T. T. Thao, L. T. P. Linh, and N. Q. Cuong, “The relationship between green advertising receptivity, green brand image, perceived brand authenticity and perceived greenwashing on green purchase intention,” SAGE Open, vol. 15, no. 4, 2025, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251385705
[23] M. J. Page et al., “The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews,” BMJ, vol. 372, Art. no. n71, 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
[24] M. Aria and C. Cuccurullo, “bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis,” Journal of Informetrics, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 959–975, 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2017.08.007
[25] M. J. Cobo et al., “An approach for detecting, quantifying, and visualizing the evolution of a research field: A practical application to the fuzzy sets theory field,” Journal of Informetrics, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 146–166, 2011, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joi.2010.10.002


