Perceived Corporate Greenwashing Scale

What it measures

Measures consumer perceptions that a company is making misleading or exaggerated environmental claims — greenwashing. As green marketing has proliferated, scepticism about firms' environmental credentials has grown. Greenwashing perceptions erode green brand trust, reduce green purchase intention, create consumer confusion, and increase perceived risk of buying supposedly green products. The PCGS captures the degree to which consumers believe a company's environmental communications are inconsistent with its actual environmental practices.

Representative items

• This company's environmental claims are misleading.
• This company exaggerates its environmental achievements.
• This company makes false environmental claims.
• This company's green advertising is not backed up by its actual practices.
• This company only pretends to care about the environment.

Citation

Chen, Y.S., & Chang, C.H. (2013). Greenwash and green trust: The mediation effects of green consumer confusion and green perceived risk. Journal of Business Ethics, 114(3), 489–500.