A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Communication Science in the Department of Communication Science at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2014. / Manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) have a social responsibility towards their consumer’s environment. Fast Moving Consumer Goods are consumed on a daily basis and their by-products are often discarded incorrectly, impacting negatively on the environment. However, many companies are beginning to take steps towards ensuring that their products are manufactured according to environmentally friendly conditions. The responsibility should not just be placed on labels, but consumers should be properly educated and guided on how to dispose of a product’s packaging such as bottles, cans and plastic bags. Producers, as well as retailers, of FMCG have an ethical responsibility towards their consumers. It has become fashionable and politically correct for FMCG companies all over the world to publicise themselves as “green companies.” However, the materials used in the packaging of these products are most often found thrown in streets and other open areas in the community. This research investigates the impact that FMCG have on the community’s green space and how companies and retailers can effectively communicate their green consumerism initiatives and demonstrate their CSR for both the environment and their consumers. This study revealed that 53.99% of the respondents do not recycle the unused packaging of goods. The primary reason was that recycling is inconvenient. The other conspicuous reason was lack of knowledge of recycling. Apart from that, they also mention that they do not have recycling bins in the community; they have not enough space in their yard and for the fact that they are not getting any incentives. This study focuses on how companies can assist in saving our planet by embracing the concept of green consumerism holistically. Further, the study exposes challenges faced by companies and social organisations with regard to green consumerism. It also tackles existing initiatives of entrenching green consumerism and the study goes on to offer suggestions and recommendations to effectively embrace green consumerism in a global society.

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to explore the impact of environmental friendly wine packageson wine consumption in Sweden. While there are many different factors influencing this issue,the overall focus of this thesis has been on the perception of the quality of 'Green wine packaging'on behalf of the consumers. Method: A quantitative approach in form of an online survey was followed by an qualitativeapproach in form of semi-structured interviews. While the quantitative approach was the mainapproach, the qualitative approach was used for further interpretation. Conclusions: Despite a great environmental awareness and a great engagement in recyclingactivities in Sweden, the results of this study shows that consumer prefer wine in traditional glassbottles. Quality is considered to be the most important element when purchasing wine and itappears that consumer perceive a low level of quality of wine in Green packages which in turnlowers their aesthetical and hedonic expectations. The quality of the wine appear also to be moreimportant than the environmental issue.

Purpose – This study aims to test the relationship between skepticism towards green advertisement and environmental concern, attitudes toward green products, and green purchase behaviors amongst Generation Y in Europe.Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was spread amongst people of Generation Y (defined as being born between 1980-2000) who were born or are currently living in Europe. Non-probability sampling was conducted through volunteer, snowball, and convenient sampling. A number of 431 valid responses were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses.Findings – Two of the three factors, namely environmental concern and green purchase behavior, are significant predictors. In contrast, attitude towards green products is no significant predictor for skepticism towards green advertisement of Generation Y in Europe. Additionally, environmental concern shows a mediation effect via attitude towards green products on skepticism towards green advertisement, yet, environmental concern is no mediator via green purchase behavior on skepticism towards green advertisement. Attitude towards green products acts as a statistically significant mediator via green purchase behavior on skepticism towards green advertisement.Practical Implications – Generation Y is an important target market. Both marketers and advertisers are recommended to evaluate their marketing strategies by considering the factors of green consumerism to decrease skepticism towards green advertising. A better understanding of environmental claims in advertising should be provided whereby consumers could identify misleading claims. Furthermore, vague and false claims should be avoided.Originality/value – This study contributes to closing the research gap by testing to which extent the three factors of green consumerism are related to skepticism towards green advertisement for Generation Y in Europe.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative research paper was to explore how consumers with an environmental identity evaluate new, environmentally friendly substitutes for meat, with edible insects given as an example. Problem: An increasing number of Swedish consumers show an overall negative attitude towards consuming meat, mainly due to environmental concerns, and express this by identifying themselves as vegetarians or flexitarian. Edible insects possess the potential to become an environmentally friendly, nutritious and innovative meat substitute in Sweden. Although the demand for new environmentally friendly meat substitutes is high, the intentions of consuming edible insects are low in Western societies. This causes researchers to ask why this conflict is.                                                                                                                               Methodology: In order to fulfill the purpose and to answer the research question, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Eight semi-structured interviews were used in the empirical data collection process. The chosen target group was vegetarians and flexitarians of Generation Y, and the sample was chosen through judgmental sampling.                                                                                                                                 Findings: This empirical study examines an extensive confusion and conflicted standpoints among consumers when evaluating edible insects. However, the authors examine a high willingness and positive attitude towards consuming edible insects. Five key factors that influence the evaluation of edible as a meat substitute have been identified: the animalistic qualities of insects, if insects are perceived as meat or vegetarian, if edible insects are ‘green’, proof and facts, and what product category edible insects belong to.

In recent decades, the global impacts of unsustainable consumption and production patterns have become a leading topic of sustainability, and more recently, climate action discourse. At the policy level, green consumerism – an element of green capitalism – has been positioned as the pathway to more sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices. Within this model, eco-labeling schemes are used to communicate various sustainability attributes, or conditions of production, to the consumer. This study set out to investigate whether SCP is achievable through green consumerism using a two-part case study that centers around the egg industry and specific hen welfare standards. The case study examines the effectiveness of egg eco-labeling schemes and related statements and images placed on egg packaging in informing consumers' purchasing decisions. It also examines the impacts of green consumerism on organic egg production in the presence of strong consumer demand for enhanced hen welfare standards. The results of the case study demonstrate that in the egg industry, green consumerism is not highly effective because consumers' purchasing decisions are often informed by vague and misleading information about conditions of production. Moreover, the presence of strong consumer demand has not resulted in enhanced hen welfare standards in organic production. In interpreting these findings through the lens of David Harvey's theory of the spatial fix, I argue that the true role of green consumerism is to facilitate a spatial fix to resolve the chronic crisis of overaccumulation in the conventional egg industry. Furthermore, that the limitations and contradictions within green consumerism (e.g. vague or insignificant eco-label claims) aid in removing the barrier of capital fixity so that the spatial fix can occur.

This study inquires as to whether Walmart’s sustainability campaign represents a sincere and holistic change throughout the company’s global supply chain or if it is simply a public relations campaign which caters to the growing target market of “next-generation” consumers and justifies further expansion into “emerging markets”. A critical analysis of Walmart’s sustainability discourse is presented, using transcribed texts of various corporate and publicitygeared publications. Frequently utilized terms and themes are identified throughout the big-box retailer’s sustainability campaign which convey a distinctly Neoliberal ethos—a political economy which lies at the heart of current practices of institutional unsustainability—and emphasize the role of the atomized individual—who may purchase protection from environmental risks via green products. Other themes, which are commonly associated with sustainability research, are glaringly absent: subsidiarity; human rights; steady-state economics; economic inequity; the precautionary principle. This research aims to shed light on the prospects for the sustainability of green overconsumption, which Walmart is leading the way in promoting, and for the continuation of the modern economistic zeitgeist into the twenty-first century.

In 2016, it is no longer possible to deny the existence of global warming and its harmful effects on our planet and the environment. Not only experts, but also consumers, have become increasingly concerned about the environment. This increased awareness and concern has increased consumers’ interest in purchasing environmentally friendly food products, and has caused companies to focus on programs intent on reducing their environmental impact and helping the environment. Companies have introduced more environmentally friendly food products, accessible on a large scale, and have changed their communication to focus more on green products and green product attributes. Scandinavian countries have some of the largest numbers of organic food consumers in Europe and the world, with the Swedish organic food industry measuring the highest growth rate in organic food sales in 2015. Therefore, this study focuses on the Swedish green food industry. A major way for companies to make consumers aware of their available environmentally friendly food products is through green advertising. An increasingly frequent problem, however, is that consumers tend to distrust these green ads. They have knowledge of green washing practices and misleading information in green advertising. In this thesis, the relationships between green consumerism, green washing and green advertising skepticism were investigated. The potential relationship between demographic factors such as gender, age, income and level and area of study, and green advertising skepticism were tested as well. A research model with three main hypotheses was used in this thesis. The results showed a significant relationship between green consumerism and green advertising skepticism when green washing was a moderator. There was also a significant negative relationship between attitude towards green products and green advertising skepticism and a positive relationship between environmental concern and green advertising skepticism. There existed no significant relationship between the tested demographic factors and green advertising skepticism in the Swedish green food industry.

Social or environmental labelling- Consumers’ knowledge, attitudes and preferencesEngelska nyckelord: labelling, social or environmental labelling, eco-labelling, sustainability, transparency, fashion consumer, visual/verbal communication, consumer buying behaviour, green consumerism.Sammanfattning på engelska: In the recent years the Swedish fashion retailers have increased their range of various social or environmental labels on their garments which in return has created confusion amongst the fashion consumers. Currently, there are approximately fourteen different third-party labelling standards in Sweden and a diverse range of self-controlled labelling standards. The reason for this increase can partly be explained by the increasing pressure from various actors to act more sustainably and ethically, and companies having realized a competitive advantage by adopting sustainable strategies. This study provides a preliminary exploration into the types of social and environmental labels that are available on the Swedish market and consumers’ knowledge, attitudes and preferences regarding these labels. Based on two focus group discussions held at two different occasions, respondents indicated that environmental labelling of clothing could influence their purchase decision positively if product related attributes (design and quality) have the same standard as non-sustainable clothing. Although consumers’ knowledge about the social or environmental labels is relatively low, they have an increased interest to learn more about the various labels and the potential environmental impact the fashion industry may cause. However, the growing involvement of taking social or environmental issues into consideration does not always lead to consumers actually purchasing eco-friendlier clothes, and thus these two “identities” are not yet compatible with each other.Additionally, consumers respond differently to positive and negative labelling, where negative labelling seems to have a stronger effect on their feelings and may influence their purchase decision. When it comes to the design of the label, visual and verbal communications are additives and a label should also have a numerical rating system, which states how sustainable a garment is in comparison to other garments. Furthermore, the logo should be more coherent with the fashion industry in terms of colours and illustrations. Moreover, consumers think that there is a lack of information at the point of purchase regarding the social and environmental labels and this should be addressed with either QR-code or by providing a simple brochure. / Program: Textilt management, fashion management

“Local,” “organic,” “natural,” and “Fairtrade” are just several of the many claims adorning the food products that line grocery store shelves. These promises of environmental sustainability and social responsibility are pillars of the “good food revolution” sweeping the nation as consumers demand alternatives to the products of the industrial food system. Green consumerism, the premise that consumer demand for environmentally sustainable goods will bring about ecologically beneficial outcomes, is at the heart of the sustainable food movement. This thesis takes a critical look at the operation of green consumerism in the food system. It explores the ideology and shortcomings of neoliberal consumer-citizenship that informs the “vote with your fork” rhetoric promoted throughout alternative food markets. Examining the plant-based foods movement as a case study, it attempts to shed light on aspects of food production that are obscured by the promises of “conscious consumption,” such as environmental impacts, accessibility, and reinforcement of the dominant dietary and patriarchal paradigm. Ultimately, the emphasis on consumerism as a means to remedy the failures of the industrial food system instead perpetuates social inequalities and environmental exploitation while relieving powerful institutions and the public of the responsibility to enact significant change. This thesis concludes with recommendations for a multi-sectored approach to the good food revolution that incorporates government, corporate, and grassroots action to bring about a truly sustainable food system.

Abstract  Bachelor´s thesis, Enterprising and Business Development, Linnaeus University School of Business and Economics, 2EB01E, VT 2017  Authors: Malin Borg and Emma Hattenhauer Tutor: Dan Halvarsson  Title: ”Is doing good ever good enough?” - a study of Swedish consumers’ perception and attitude towards companies using green marketing. Background: More now than ever are people interested in how they themselves affect the environment and how the companies work green. By implementing a “green marketing” strategy, companies use their environmental work as a marketing tool with different agendas. Some authors claim that this strategy is used in order to find new markets and new consumers while some say that it is a way for companies to encourage further green work to their market shares. Not all green work is however shown to the public, in some cases it is done in the dark in order to lower the external pressure of possible scrutiny, a strategy also called lean or muted greening. Theory explains that in contrast to this muted strategy consumers perceive transparency within a company and its green work highly important, as well as how a green marketing campaign is presented with words and terminology. It is of great important to consider what the consumers demand from a company in order for them to fully succeed with their green marketing campaign and build trust between the company and the consumer.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to create understanding of Swedish consumers’ perception and attitude towards companies that are using a green marketing strategy. Method: This study uses a deductive approach with a qualitative nature, where words and explanations are of interest and is carried out through eight individual semi-structured interviews with respondents all living in Sweden found through a convenience sampling method. With a used hermeneutic approach the respondents subjective opinions has lead the research in the direction it has taken and further pre-understandings has been created. Conclusion: Through this study it has been found that the main-key to a successful green marketing campaign among Swedish consumers is trust. Without trust towards a company Swedish consumers explain themselves as not believing in green marketing done by a company. Social media is a communication channel that, among Swedish consumers is not perceived credible and should therefore not be used when doing a green marketing campaign. The concept of lean or muted greening is something that 6/8 respondents considered positive while 2/8 felt the opposite, however all considered transparency as a highly important factor in order to not miss trust a company and believing that, if something is hard to find maybe it is not done as presented. Language and terminology are two closely related and much important aspects that need to be clear and easily understood, however not excluding important aspects but rather give further explanations about concepts that might be considered complicated.