The Effect of Brand Familiarity on Green Claim Skepticism in Distribution Channel

Purpose: This study aims to explore the impact of green products’ claim skepticism on green purchase intention and further investigates the moderating role of environmental concern in the relationship. This study, by drawing the persuasion knowledge model expected that ambiguity avoidance penalizes less familiar brands than familiar brands. Further, the present study building on Hofstede’s cultural dimension, specifically, uncertainty avoidance, undertook a scenario to understand any difference that exist between uncertainty avoidance cultural groups. This study also investigates gender differences in green claim skepticism and proclivity to purchase green products. Research design, data, and methodology: For analyzing the relationship relevant hypotheses were designed, and R-programming software was used. To test the hypotheses two independent sample t-test and regression analysis were carried out. Results: The results suggest that consumers’ skepticism toward green claims influenced the intention to purchase eco-friendly products. The study finding also confirms the effect is moderated by environmental concern. Also, the findings of two scenarios reveal that consumers in high uncertainty avoidance culture exhibited a greater level of skepticism for green print advertising and green packaging claims when the brand in the advertising and packaging was unfamiliar than when it was familiar. Conclusions: To alter the negative effect of skepticism the consumer should believe the environmental claims are valid so that they can contribute to solving sustainability issues. KCI Citation Count: 0