The Influence of Pricing and Advertising Claims on Greenwashing Detection Among American Consumers in the Fast Fashion Industry

Anna Shank

      As consumers continue to demand sustainability in the fashion industry, the practice of greenwashing is growing in discussion among scholars. This study seeks to analyze the relationship between type of greenwashing claim (vague vs. false) and price level (low vs. high) in the context of the fast fashion industry. Through an experimental 2 x 2 between-subjects survey design, data was collected from 152 American consumers of all ages and education levels. The stimuli consisted of images of basic T-shirts accompanied by clothing labels with the experimental conditions depicted upon them. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and tests of ANOVA (analyses of variance). Results show that American consumers are unable to detect differences between vague and false advertising claims in the fashion industry, regardless of the price level. Moreover, the data suggest that American consumers are unable to detect the presence of greenwashing irrespective of the type of claim or price level in this industry, which future research should further investigate. Marketers can use these and related future findings to appropriately advertise and price their clothing products. If future studies similarly conclude that American consumers are deceived by greenwashing claims, such findings can be used to support regulatory legislation.

Major: 
Marketing
Exhibition Category: 
Business and Entrepreneurship
Exhibition Format: 
Poster Presentation
Campus: 
Harrisburg
Faculty Sponsor: 
Ozge Aybat
Poster Number: 
169

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