The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between online communication in marketing and customers’ purchase pressure. We further examine if the customer’s perception of the brand’s authenticity and genuineness affects the perceived purchase pressure. This will be examined within sustainable brands that have a focus on changing customers’ consumption patterns, with the assumption that they do not wish to create purchase pressure from a sustainability standpoint. By examining what causes purchase pressure we intend to contribute to developing the academic definition of the term. This is done by using an exploratory, inductive research design in which a qualitative research method has been applied. A qualitative content analysis was conducted to give insight in how sustainable brands marketing communicated contributes to the phenomenon of purchase pressure. Purchase pressure in the context of sustainable fashion is inherently negative as it indirectly is connected to overconsumption. Different cues have been revealed in this study to contribute to customers' purchase pressure, as well as that the authenticity and genuineness of a brand plays a role in the perceived pressure.

Background: The sportswear industry has grown rapidly in the past years, with sportswear becoming a popular choice for everyday wear and sports activities. However, concerns about sustainability have emerged, prompting consumers to think about their purchasing habits. As a result, sustainable branding has become an integral part of the business of sportswear brands. Purpose: This study examines how women’s attitudes toward sustainable branding influence their purchase decisions in the sportswear industry. By focusing on women aged 20-50, the research seeks to understand the attitudes of female consumers and help sportswear brands adapt their sustainability strategies to meet consumer demand. Method: This study follows a qualitative research method with an interpretive research paradigm and an inductive research approach. Data have been collected through semi-structured interviews to better understand the underlying motivations and factors that influence female attitudes. Conclusion: The study findings revealed that female consumers had negative or neutral attitudes toward the sportswear industry. However, they indicated a positive attitude towards sustainability, suggesting that the brand’s social and environmental practices can influence female consumer attitudes. The study showed a clear gap between female consumer attitudes and actual behavior, with financial constraints and other purchase criteria as barriers to purchasing sustainable sportswear.

Background: Alongside the emergence of green marketing initiatives, consumers began questioning the authenticity and transparency of firms utilising such marketing practices, which consequently led to a low level of perceived credibility. Although green marketing has been a topic of research for many years, a gap in academia remains regarding the impact of legislative instruments on consumers' perceptions. As of 2023, the European Union introduced the EU Green Claims Directive, a legal framework that aims to ensure that all environmental claims are accurate and prevent the exploitation of misleading marketing practices. Purpose: The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to investigate the impact of the new EU Green Claims Directive on the credibility of green marketing from a consumer perspective. Specifically, this study aims to examine how the regulatory standards introduced by the EU on March 22, 2023, challenge previous notions of misleading green claims and their influence on consumer perceptions of environmental credibility. Method: The research follows an abductive approach, using qualitative methods to gather and investigate the empirical data. To address the purpose of this research, two focus groups were used, one identified as the control group and the other as the treatment group, allowing for an experimental design to test the impact on consumer perceptions. An expert interview was used to complement the information gathered about the EU Green Claims Directive, as the frame of reference only yields one source (the actual legislative instrument). A thematic analysis was used for identifying and retrieving any relevant data found in the empirical investigation. Conclusion: The results indicate that consumers remain sceptical towards green marketing even after the implementation of the new EU Directive, and the level of perceived credibility is still low. In conclusion, regulatory implementation seems important to consumers, however, the new EU Directive will not be enough to change previous notions of green claims from a consumer perspective.