The impact of greenwashing on stakeholders' perceptions and reactions to environmental scandals

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the impact of greenwashing practices on stakeholder reactions by examining different levels of misleading environmental communication.
Methodology: A quasi-experimental design was carried out with 160 participants in Chile, divided into eight groups of 20 participants each. Participants were exposed to real environmental scandals involving companies operating in the country. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess stakeholder perceptions. Statistical analysis included descriptive tests and nonparametric methods such as Shapiro-Wilk, Levene, and Kruskal-Wallis.
Results: Findings indicate that more sophisticated greenwashing strategies, particularly "obscure" and "strategic" messages, were perceived as more credible than corporate or product claims. This suggests that complex environmental narratives can mask organizational intentions and maintain a facade of legitimacy, even after exposure to scandals.
Implications: The findings reveal that the sophistication of environmental scandal influences stakeholder perception more than actual environmental responsibility. These results underscore the importance of transparency, regulatory oversight, and the promotion of critical awareness among consumers.
Originality: This study replicates and adapts a previous design to the Chilean context, providing novel empirical evidence from Latin America and contributing to the debate on sustainability communication and the risks of greenwashing.