Greenwashing perception in Spanish fast-fashion brands’ communication: modelling sustainable behaviours and attitudes

Figures & data

Table 1. Elements under study and variables used.

Elements studied	Variables
1. Socio-demographic characteristics	Sex Age Level of education Occupation
2. Perception of greenwashing in the studied fashion brands	The brand uses sustainable fashion messages to wash or improve its image.
3. Sustainable fashion content consumption	Whether information on sustainable fashion-related content is often looked for
	Use of the following channels to seek or receive information on sustainable fashion: - Website of the brands - Brand profiles on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok - Videos on brands’ YouTube channels - Advertisements in offline and online media (press, TV, radio.) - Reports, interviews or monographic documentaries - Influencer or celebrity accounts on social networks - Advertising spots in offline and online media with celebrity recommendations or trends. - Fashion films - Physical shops of the brands
4. Sustainable fashion consumption	Have you ever bought a sustainable fashion product?
	How brands’ advertising campaigns influence sustainable fashion purchasing decisions Influencers and celebrities’ recommendations influence decisions to buy sustainable fashion.
5. Attitudes towards sustainability policies communicated by fashion companies	Some companies talk about sustainability in their commercial messages without taking any social or sustainable action. Sustainability is used by some companies to launder or enhance their corporate image or reputation. It bothers me when a fashion brand uses the concept of sustainability as a selling point. I find it inconsistent for a fast fashion brand to communicate its ecological and sustainability commitments. I am not interested in sustainability information from fashion brands. The most sustainable fashion brands often do not communicate their activities in their advertising.

Table 2. Fashion brands included in the study.

Zara

Mango

Bershka

Stradivarius

Springfield

Figure 1. Perception of Greenwashing in Spanish fashion brands.

Table 3. Association between the perception of greenwashing in fashion brands and consumption of sustainable fashion content – Chi-Square test.

		Perception of Greenwashing
		Zara		Bershka		Stradivarius		Handle		Springfield
		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
		% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row
Search for information on sustainable fashion	No	44.8%	55.2%	50.7%	49.3%	52.6%	47.4%	54.1%	45.9%	56.2%	43.8%
	Yes	29.8%	70.2%	36.1%	63.9%	37.2%	62.8%	34.6%	65.4%	37.5%	62.5%
	Sig. x^2	0,000**		0,004**		0,003**		0,000**		0,000**

**Significant at 1%.

Table 4. Association between the perception of greenwashing in fashion brands and consumption of sustainable fashion products – Chi-Square test.

		Perception of Greenwashing
		Zara		Bershka		Stradivarius		Handle		Springfield
		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
		% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row
Have you ever bought a sustainable fashion product?	No	48.8%	51.2%	53.5%	46.5%	58.1%	41.9%	63.1%	36.9%	56.0%	44.0%
	Yes	32.9%	67.1%	36.0%	64.0%	37.3%	62.7%	36.3%	63.7%	39.4%	60.6%
	Sig. x^2	0.002**		0.002**		0.000**		0.000**		0.003**
Influence of the following elements on the sustainable fashion purchasing decision:
Brand advertising campaign	No	24.8%	75.2%	25.4%	74.6%	29.5%	70.5%	30.9%	69.1%	32.6%	67.4%
	Yes	44.5%	55.5%	50.0%	50.0%	47.2%	52.8%	43.4%	56.6%	47.7%	52.3%
	Sig. x^2	0.001**		0.000**		0.012*		0.058		0.033*
Recommendations from influencers or celebrities	No	35.0%	65.0%	36.0%	64.0%	38.5%	61.5%	39.3%	60.7%	42.0%	58.0%
	Yes	28.7%	71.3%	35.8%	64.2%	35.1%	64.9%	30.7%	69.3%	34.8%	65.2%
	Sig. x^2	0.329		0.881		0.638		0.175		0.295

*Significant at 5%.

** Significant at 1%.

Table 5. Association between perceptions of greenwashing in fashion brands and attitudes towards sustainability policies of fashion companies – Chi-Square test.

		Perception of Greenwashing
		Zara		Bershka		Stradivarius		Handle		Springfield
		No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
		% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row	% row
Some companies talk about sustainability in their commercial messages without taking any social or sustainable action.	Disagree or indifferent	50.5%	49.5%	61.3%	38,7%	58,1%	41,9%	55,7%	44,3%	61,7%	38,3%
	Agreed.	32.9%	67.1%	36.8%	63,2%	38,8%	61,2%	41,2%	58,8%	41,0%	59,0%
	Sig. x^2	0.000**		0.000**		0,000**		0,006*		0,000**
Sustainability is used by some companies to launder or enhance their corporate image or reputation.	Disagree or indifferent	53.0%	47.0%	61.6%	38,4%	61,7%	38,3%	56,4%	43,6%	65,2%	34,8%
	Agreed.	34.0%	66.0%	39.2%	60,8%	39,6%	60,4%	42,4%	57,6%	42,1%	57,9%
	Next x2	0.000**		0.000**		0,000**		0,017*		0,000**
It bothers me when a fashion brand uses the concept of sustainability as a selling point.	Disagree or indifferent	43.9%	56.1%	51.7%	48,3%	54,2%	45,8%	53,2%	46,8%	55,5%	44,5%
	Agreed.	35.0%	65.0%	40.7%	59,3%	40,2%	59,8%	41,6%	58,4%	43,4%	56,6%
	Next x2	0.054		0.032*		0,005**		0,025*		0,020*
I find it inconsistent for a fast fashion brand to communicate its ecological and sustainability commitments.	Disagree or indifferent	44.5%	55.5%	52.5%	47,5%	53,6%	46,4%	51,9%	48,1%	54,9%	45,1%
	Agreed.	34.0%	66.0%	38.9%	61,1%	39,9%	60,1%	41,6%	58,4%	42,7%	57,3%
	Next x2	0.022*		0.007**		0,007**		0,040*		0,014*
I am not interested in sustainability information from fashion brands.	Disagree or indifferent	37.3%	62.7%	45.5%	54,5%	44,5%	55,5%	44,7%	55,3%	47,5%	52,5%
	Agreed.	40.8%	59.2%	41.5%	58,5%	46,7%	53,3%	48,6%	51,4%	48,0%	52,0%
	Next x2	0.481		0.434		0,664		0,474		0,900
The most sustainable fashion brands often do not communicate their activities in their commercial messages.	Disagree or indifferent	40.7%	59.3%	51.0%	49.0%	51.0%	49.0%	47.9%	52.1%	50.7%	49.3%
	Agreed.	35.1%	64.9%	36.7%	63.3%	38.0%	62.0%	42.8%	57.2%	44.0%	56.0%
	Next x2	0,220		0,003**		0,009**		0,285		0,182

*Significant at 5%.

** Significant at 1%.

Table 6. Logistic regression model on the probability of perceiving greenwashing in the Zara brand.

Variables in the equation	B	Standard error	Wald	Gl	Sig.	Exp(B)
Use the brands’ websites to access information on sustainable fashion.	1.343	0.427	9.877	1	0.002**	3.830
Use brand profiles on TikTok to access information on sustainable fashion.	−0.827	0.403	4.206	1	0.040*	0.437
The influence of brand advertising campaigns on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	−1.319	0.377	12.238	1	0.000**	0.267
Influence of influencer or celebrity recommendations on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	1.135	0.395	8.262	1	0.004*	3.111
Constant	−0.277	0.828	0.112	1	0.738	0.758

*significant at 5%.

**significant at 1%.

Table 7. Logistic regression model on the probability of perceiving greenwashing in the Bershka brand.

Variables in the equation	B	Standard error	Wald	Gl	Sig.	Exp(B)
Use the brands’ websites to access information on sustainable fashion.	1.197	0.496	5.833	1	0.016*	3.311
Use brand profiles on Instagram to access information about sustainable fashion	−1.184	0.386	9.404	1	0.002**	0.306
The influence of brand advertising campaigns on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	−1.374	0.374	13.529	1	0.000**	0.253
Influence of influencer or celebrity recommendations on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	0.872	0.398	4.803	1	0.028*	2.392
Constant	1.143	0.952	1.443	1	0.230	3.137

*significant at 5%.

**significant at 1%.

Table 8. Logistic regression model on the probability of perceiving greenwashing in the Stradivarius brand.

Variables in the equation	B	Standard error	Wald	Gl	Sig.	Exp(B)
Use the brands’ websites to access information on sustainable fashion.	1.051	0.424	6.152	1	0.013*	2.859
The influence of brand advertising campaigns on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	−0.928	0.321	8.339	1	0.004**	0.395
Constant	−0.069	0.806	0.007	1	0.932	0.933

*significant at 5%.

**significant at 1%.

Table 9. Logistic regression model on the probability of perceiving greenwashing in the Mango brand.

Variables in the equation	B	Standard error	Wald	Gl	Sig.	Exp(B)
Use videos on brands’ YouTube channels to access information on sustainable fashion.	−0.836	0.351	5.662	1	0.017*	0.434
Search for information on sustainable fashion	0.888	0.350	6.425	1	0.011*	2.429
The influence of brand advertising campaigns on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	−1.087	0.367	8.754	1	0.003**	0.337
Influence of influencer or celebrity recommendations on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	1.236	0.403	9.402	1	0.002**	3.441
Constant	0.343	0.745	0.212	1	0.738	1.409

*significant at 5%.

**significant at 1%.

Table 10. Logistic regression model on the probability of perceiving greenwashing in the Springfield brand.

Variables in the equation	B	Standard error	Wald	Gl	Sig.	Exp(B)
Use reports, interviews or feature documentaries to access information on sustainable fashion.	0.815	0.354	5.299	1	0.021*	2.260
Search for information on sustainable fashion	0.759	0.355	4.573	1	0.032*	2.137
The influence of brand advertising campaigns on sustainable fashion purchasing decisions	−0.864	0.327	6.982	1	0.008**	0.421
Constant	−0.951	0.773	1.511	1	0.219	0.386

*significant at 5%.

**significant at 1%.