Unraveling the Green Veil: Investigating the Affective Responses of U.S. Generation Z to Fast Fashion Greenwashing Through C-A-B Theory

This research aims to investigate, using the C-A-B theory, the buying decision-making processes of Gen Z consumers in the United States when exposed to fast fashion brand advertising messages including greenwashing elements. Responses of 345 valid participants from the Amazon Mturk platform were analyzed through Mplus 8.11 and SPSS 29. Two-step, structural equation modeling was implemented to test the hypothesis. Additionally, 5000 bootstrapping iterations were used to examine the indirect effects. Study findings indicated that Gen Z consumers responded positively and negatively to fast fashion brands’ product promotional messages. Despite feeling skeptical and betrayed over the greenwashing assertion, they intend to purchase the goods. A contributing factor to this unforeseen purchasing intention may be their indifference towards environmental concerns. Moreover, when greenwashing assertions are infused with product advantages through strategic ingenuity and aligned with the specific demands of certain generations, the perception of positive emotional reaction supersedes the negative, hence facilitating the purchase of the green product. Furthermore, there is evidence of optimism biases, a cognitive bias where they exaggerate their capacity to identify instances of greenwashing, prioritize more on their certain needs, and underestimate the associated environmental risk for others. This clarifies the paradoxical buying patterns of Gen Z consumers. Although Gen Z is the youngest demographic, their tastes for fast fashion apparel may alter as they develop and their lifestyles adapt, influenced by both positive and negative emotional reactions to fast fashion brands. Consequently, the fast fashion business must retain this customer by utilizing sustainability messaging instead of misleading greenwashing assertions in the future.