Interpreting sustainability claims in fashion marketing : consumer perceptions of greenwashing

Abstract

This thesis examines how consumers interpret sustainability claims in fashion marketing and how they distinguish genuine environmental communication from greenwashing. The fashion industry has become one of the most scrutinized sectors for sustainability-related misleading communication, yet relatively little research has focused on the actual process consumers go through when evaluating these claims. To address this gap, a qualitative study was conducted using ten semi-structured interviews with young adult consumers in Finland. Participants were shown real sustainability marketing materials from H&M, Zara, and Patagonia and asked to evaluate each one. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which produced five themes: price as a competing priority, transparency and specific information as trust signals, recognition of vague and visual-only claims as greenwashing, the influence of pre-existing brand reputation, and the conditional effectiveness of eco-labels and certifications.

The findings show that consumers evaluate sustainability claims through a broad three-stage process: they first apply what they already know about the brand, then assess whether the claim itself contains specific and verifiable information and finally look for ways to confirm what they have been told. Brand reputation was found to shape consumer evaluation from the outset. Despite a genuine interest in sustainability, most participants placed prize first in their actual purchase decisions, reflecting the well-documented value-action gap. These findings suggest that credible sustainability communication must be specific, transparent, and consistent with a brand's broader identity and practices.