The Impact of Social Values, Norms, and Demographics on Consumer Responses to Greenwashing in Fashion: Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The phenomenon of greenwashing in the fashion industry poses a serious challenge to global efforts to achieve sustainable consumption. This study aims to systematically review the literature discussing consumer awareness of greenwashing practices, particularly through interactions on social media. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, this article identifies five main focuses: (1) the influence of social responsibility attitudes on sustainable purchasing behavior, (2) the role of consumers' personal preferences in shaping their intention to purchase environmentally friendly products, (3) the function of environmental awareness as a mediator between ethical attitudes and green product purchasing decisions, (4) the influence of social norms on sustainable consumption behavior, and (5) the role of gender and age as moderators. The results of the study indicate that consumers with high social values and strong environmental awareness are more likely to reject misleading sustainability claims. Social media has been shown to strengthen the role of social norms and create a discursive space for consumers to assess the authenticity of sustainability messages. Demographic factors such as gender and age also moderate the conversion of attitudes into actions. These findings provide theoretical contributions to the green marketing literature and practical implications for fashion brands in building ethical and credible sustainability communications in the digital era.

Keywords: greenwashing, consumer awareness, sustainable behavior, social media, fashion industry.

DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/96-03

Publication date: November 30^th 2025