Describing brown as green: an examination of the relationship between greenwashing and consumer negative emotive outcomes

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual framework.

Source: Authors (2023).

Table 1. Factor loadings.

Constructs	Loadings
Brand Avoidance
BA1 The brand is not socially responsible (packaging and production process).		0.792
BA2 I will not purchase products of a deceptive brand anymore.		0.823
BA3 The brand does not match with my personality.		0.777
BA4 My personal beliefs are contradictory to that of the brand		0.808
BA5 The brand failed to meet its promised value.		0.741
Brand hate
BH1 I am disgusted by a deceptive brand.		0.861
BH2 I do not tolerate a deceptive brand and its company.		0.789
BH3 The world would be a better place without deceptive brand		0.783
BH4 I feel disappointed when I think about deceptive brand.		0.785
BH5 I have total dislike for a deceptive brand.		0.816
Brand Retaliation
BR2 I have showed signs of impatience and frustration towards deceptive brands.		0.774
BR3 I complained to the deceptive brand to give a hard time to the representatives of the company.		0.833
BR4 I complained to the deceptive brand to be unpleasant with the representatives of the company.		0.810
BR5 I complained to the deceptive brand to make someone from the organization pay. 0.814
Negative word-of-mouth
NWoM1 I spread negative information about a deceptive brand.		0.669
NWoM2 I denigrated deceptive brands to my friends.		0.708
NWoM3 I advise my friends against buying products from deceptive companies.		0.820
NWoM4 I always tell my friends about my feelings towards deceptive brands.		0.714
NWoM5 I try to influence a lot of people against patronizing deceptive brands.		0.776
Greenwashing
GW1 I’m sure that green products, in their majority, deceive consumers.		0.558
GW2 The manufacturers of green products always exaggerate the (green) characteristics of their products.		0.654
GW3 I’m sure that green products exist only in advertisements.		0.559
GW4 Companies’ websites always exaggerate their products’ green characteristics.		0.714
GW5 There is no real green product, only those that improve a few environmental practices.		0.649
GW6 Green companies are those that are truly ethical.		0.614
Brand Loyalty
BL1 I intend to buy this brand in the near future		0.793
BL2 I consider this brand as my first choice in this category		0.826
BL3 I am willing to pay premium for this brand over competing brands		0.891
BL4 I consider this brand my first choice in the next few years		0.784

Source: Authors (2023).

Table 2. Constructs reliability and validity.

Constructs	Cronbach’s Alpha	CR	AVE
Brand Avoidance	0.846	0.892	0.622
Brand Hate	0.855	0.896	0.632
Brand Retaliation	0.845	0.890	0.620
Negative Word of Mouth	0.718	0.806	0.410
Greenwashing	0.794	0.857	0.546
Brand Loyalty	0.802	0.877	0.642

Note: Composite Reliability (CR); Average Variances Extracted (AVE).

Source: Authors (2023).

Table 3. Discriminant validity based on Fornell and Larcker procedure.

Constructs	BA	BH	BR	NWoM	GW	BL
Brand Avoidance	0.789
Brand Hate	0.570	0.795
Brand Retaliation	0.485	0.352	0.787
Negative Word of Mouth	0.475	0.585	0.308	0.643
Greenwashing	0.671	0.537	0.534	0.326	0.739
Brand Loyalty	0.634	0.590	0.562	0.453	0.475	0.843

Source: Authors (2023).

Table 4. Discriminant validity using Heterotrait- Monotrait (HTMT).

Constructs	BA	BH	BR	NWoM	GW	BL
Brand Avoidance	–
Brand Hate	0.675	–
Brand Retaliation	0.574	0.413	–
Negative Word of Mouth	0.559	0.714	0.378		–
Greenwashing	0.802	0.639	0.649	0.391	–
Brand Loyalty	0.784	0.657	0.658	0.432	0.651	–

Source: Authors (2023).

Table 5. Path analysis.

	Original sample (O)	Standard mean (M)	Deviation (STDEV)	T Statistic (|O/STDEV|)	P Value
Greenwashing -> Brand Avoidance	0.475	0.491	0.052	9.043	0.000
Greenwashing -> Brand Hate	0.585	0.597	0.049	12.052	0.000
Greenwashing -> Brand Retaliation	0.308	0.323	0.076	4.076	0.000
Greenwashing -> N.Word of Mouth	0.326	0.348	0.065	5.024	0.000
Greenwashing * Brand Loyalty ->
Negative Emotive Outcomes	0.432	0.453	0.051	8.067	0.000

Note: Negative Emotive Outcomes (brand avoidance, brand boycott, brand hate, brand retaliation, negative word-of-mouth).

Source: Authors (2023).

Data availability statement

Data for this study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author, Justice Boateng Dankwah. Justice can be contacted via email; [email protected] or [email protected]