Greenwash and green brand equity: The mediating role of green brand image, green satisfaction, and green trust, and the moderating role of green concern

This study explores whether and, if so, how efficiently consumers' greenwashing (GW) influences green brand equity (GBE) by integrating the mediation role of green brand image (GBI), green satisfaction (GSA), and green trust (GTR) and the moderating role of green concern (GC), using the legitimacy and signaling theories. A quantitative study was conducted by means of a questionnaire-based survey using a cluster random sampling technique with a sample of 436 consumers who purchased electronic products in supermarkets in Vietnam. A partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to analyze data. Our findings show that GW is not significantly associated with GBE, possibly due to the halo effect. The findings also show that GW is adversely related to GBI, GSA, and GTR, which would positively influence GBE, except for the GW-GSA relationship. This means that, although GW does not directly affect GBE, it does indirectly influence it via GBI and GTR. Furthermore, GC significantly moderates the relationship between GW and GBE. Our work is the first to combine GBI, GSA, and GTR as mediators, and GC as a moderator using PLS-SEM approach to advance the theory of green brand equity on green marketing and to contribute significantly toward a unified theory of brand equity. Furthermore, our findings extend our understanding regarding the different mechanisms for which GBI and GTR play as mediators, and with GC as a moderator in the GW-GBE relationship in the electronics products setting of Vietnamese consumers.