GREENWASHING: ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS IN GREEN CONSUMPTION OF YOUTH IN CROATIA

Abstract

This study examines how young people in Croatia perceive greenwashing, an organizational communication practice where sustainability is overemphasized in communications while real environmental impact is neglected. Despite growing ecological awareness among youth, research analyzing their attitudes toward greenwashing, especially in Croatia, is scarce. This study applies descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests to analyze a nationally representative sample of youth. The research shows that most youth disapprove of greenwashing, with female respondents exhibiting stronger environmental values and greater condemnation of greenwashing practices. The research also reveals significant differences in how different types of greenwashing are perceived, especially those involving organizations in environmentally harmful industries. As one of the rare empirical investigations of greenwashing attitudes among Croatian youth, this paper contributes to the understanding of their perceptions and behaviors, as well as to the broader discourse on environmental responsibility and consumer skepticism. The insights of this research can influence future policy, education, marketing, media and communication strategies used by different organizations engaging in different types of communication with environmentally conscious youth.