Is It Greenwashing? Environmental Compensation Claims in Advertising, Perceived Greenwashing, Political Consumerism, and Brand Outcomes

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual model of Study 1. Black colored paths visualize a significant positive association between variables. Dashed paths indicate a nonsignificant relation between variables. *H2 stands for the comparison between abstract and concrete compensation claims in terms of perceived greenwashing showing that abstract compensation claims are associated more strongly with perceived greenwashing.

Table 1. Results of Study 1.

Variables	Perceived Greenwashing (W2)	Boycotting Intentions (W2)	Buycotting Intentions (W2)
Exposure to abstract compensation claims (W1)	0.13* (0.05)	0.03 (0.05)	0.01 (0.05)
Exposure to concrete compensation claims (W1)	−0.05 (0.04)	0.05 (0.05)	0.12* (0.05)
Environmental knowledge (W2)	0.17*** (0.04)	0.18*** (0.05)	0.07 (0.04)
Exposure to Abstract compensation claims (W1) × Environmental knowledge (W2)	−0.02 (0.04)
Exposure to Concrete compensation claims (W1) × Environmental knowledge (W2)	0.02 (0.04)
Perceived greenwashing (W1)	0.48*** (0.05)	0.11** (0.05)	−0.01 (0.04)
Boycotting intention (W1)		0.41*** (0.06)
Buycotting intention (W1)			0.34*** (0.05)
Age (W1)	0.01 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.01** (0.00)
Female (W1)	0.10 (0.11)	−0.12 (0.12)	−0.08 (0.10)
High education (W1)	0.34* (0.16)	0.06 (0.17)	0.04 (0.15)
Intermediate education (W1)	0.17 (0.14)	0.04 (0.14)	−0.09 (0.13)
Environmental concern (W2)	0.02 (0.05)	0.37*** (0.05)	0.41*** (0.05)
Adjusted R^2	0.39	0.45	0.43

Note. Standard errors in parentheses. N_W2 = 511. W1 = Wave 1; W2 = Wave 2.

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Table 2. Results of Study 2 (Hypotheses 1, 3, 4, and 5).

Variables	Perceived Greenwashing	Boycotting Intentions	Buycotting Intentions	Brand Evaluation	Purchase Intentions
Abstract compensation claims^a	0.98*** (0.15)	−0.30 (0.23)	−0.31 (0.21)	0.17 (0.16)	0.30 (0.18)
Concrete compensation claims^a	0.52** (0.15)	−0.26 (0.22)	0.10 (0.21)	0.51** (0.16)	0.69*** (0.17)
Environmental knowledge^b	−0.24* (0.10)
Abstract compensation claims × Environmental knowledge	0.41** (0.13)
Concrete compensation claims × Environmental knowledge	0.43** (0.13)
Perceived greenwashing		0.26** (0.08)	0.00 (0.07)	−0.12 (0.06)	−0.20** (0.06)
Age	0.00 (0.00)	0.01 (0.01)	0.01 (0.00)	−0.01 (0.00)	−0.02*** (0.01)
Female	0.14 (0.13)	−0.29 (0.18)	0.35* (0.17)	0.15 (0.13)	0.19 (0.14)
Low education	−0.05 (0.19)	−0.06 (0.23)	0.59* (0.26)	0.42* (0.19)	0.41* (0.21)
Intermediate education	0.06 (0.19)	−0.53 (0.26)	0.14 (0.26)	0.17 (0.20)	0.18 (0.20)
Environmental concern	0.19*** (0.05)	0.61*** (0.06)	0.48*** (0.06)	0.08 (0.05)	0.08 (0.06)
Flying frequency	−0.15* (0.08)	−0.21* (0.10)	0.21* (0.09)	0.20* (0.08)	0.40*** (0.08)
Adjusted R^2	0.18	0.26	0.18	0.08	0.17

Note. Standard errors in parentheses.

^a Control condition as reference group; N = 423.

^b The simple effect applies only for the control condition that equals zero in this case.

* p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Table 3. Results of Study 2 (Hypothesis 2).

Variables	Perceived Greenwashing	Boycotting Intentions	Buycotting Intentions	Brand Evaluation	Purchase Intentions
Concrete compensation claims^a	−0.46** (0.15)	0.04 (0.21)	0.41* (0.19)	0.33* (0.15)	0.39* (0.17)
Control condition^a	−0.98*** (0.15)	0.30 (0.23)	0.31 (0.21)	−0.17 (0.16)	−0.31 (0.18)
Environmental knowledge	0.17* (0.08)
Concrete compensation claims × Environmental knowledge	−0.41** (0.13)
Control compensation claims × Environmental knowledge	0.02 (0.11)
Perceived greenwashing		0.26** (0.08)	0.00 (0.07)	−0.12 (0.06)	−0.20** (0.06)
Age	0.00 (0.00)	0.01 (0.01)	0.01 (0.00)	−0.01 (0.00)	−0.02*** (0.01)
Female	0.14 (0.13)	−0.29 (0.18)	0.35* (0.17)	0.15 (0.13)	0.19 (0.14)
Low education	−0.05 (0.19)	−0.06 (0.23)	0.59* (0.26)	0.42* (0.19)	0.41* (0.21)
Intermediate education	0.06 (0.19)	−0.53 (0.26)	0.14 (0.26)	0.17 (0.20)	0.18 (0.20)
Environmental concern	0.19*** (0.05)	0.61*** (0.06)	0.48*** (0.06)	0.08 (0.05)	0.08 (0.06)
Flying frequency	−0.15* (0.08)	−0.21* (0.10)	0.21* (0.09)	0.20* (0.08)	0.40*** (0.08)
Adjusted R^2	0.18	0.26	0.18	0.08	0.17

Note. Standard errors in parentheses.

^aAbstract compensation condition as reference group; N = 423.

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.

Figure 2. Conceptual model of Study 2. Black colored paths depict a significant positive association between variables. Gray paths indicate a significant negative association between variables. Dashed paths visualize a nonsignificant relation between variables. *H2 stands for the comparison between abstract and concrete compensation claims regarding perceived greenwashing indicating that abstract compensation claims lead to stronger perceptions of greenwashing.