| Abstract [eng] |
The object of analysis of the master’s thesis is the relationship between consumer awareness and the recognition of greenwashing risk. The aim of the thesis is to assess the relationships between consumer awareness and the recognition of greenwashing risk. The aim was achieved through the following objectives: (1) to reveal the concept, forms, causes, and consequences of greenwashing; (2) to theoretically substantiate the role of consumer awareness in sustainable consumption decisions in the context of greenwashing risk; (3) to examine the relationships between consumer awareness and the recognition of greenwashing risk, trust in sustainability communication, and sustainable consumption intentions. To achieve these objectives, methods of scientific literature analysis, systematization and classification, generalization, questionnaire survey, descriptive statistics, and correlational–regression analysis were applied. The master’s thesis consists of an introduction, theoretical, methodological, and empirical sections, conclusions, and recommendations. The thesis draws on 50 literature sources, 46 of which are in foreign languages; one appendix is included. The theoretical part of the thesis analyzes the theoretical aspects of greenwashing and consumer awareness, presenting the concept of the phenomenon, its forms, causes, and consequences, discussing the role of consumer awareness in the context of sustainable consumption, and substantiating the logic of the proposed model. It is theoretically grounded that consumer awareness primarily increases consumers’ sensitivity to inconsistencies between declared and actual organizational actions, thereby fostering the recognition of greenwashing risk. However, risk perception does not always directly translate into sustainable consumption intentions—this process is mediated by trust in sustainability communication. Therefore, in the context of sustainable decision-making, consumer awareness functions as a cognitive filter that not only helps to identify manipulative practices but also creates conditions for trust-based decisions when communication is perceived as credible. The second part presents the research methodology, including the research design, instrument, sample, data collection procedures, and analysis methods. The empirical part presents the results of the empirical study, including descriptive analysis and correlational–regression analysis. The findings indicate that the aggregated consumer awareness indicator does not statistically significantly explain the recognition of greenwashing risk. This suggests that the overall level of awareness alone does not necessarily determine consumers’ ability to identify misleading sustainability practices. However, an extended regression analysis, in which awareness was examined through separate factors (benefits of action, costs of action, benefits of inaction, and costs of inaction), revealed a statistically significant relationship between consumer awareness and the recognition of greenwashing risk. The thesis concludes with conclusions and recommendations. |
