The Trap of Pseudo-Sustainability: Understanding Gen Z’s Preception of Green Labels in Marketing

Abstract

In this era of sustainability-oriented marketing, many companies are increasingly using “green” labels to attract environmentally conscious consumers. However, not all of these claims are in line with true sustainability practices, giving rise to the phenomenon of pseudo-sustainability. This study aims to analyze Generation Z's perceptions of green labels and investigate how these perceptions can influence consumer trust and purchasing behavior. This research uses a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews with 30 respondents aged 17–27 years. The interviews focus on three main dimensions: awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, interpretation and implementation of green labels, and skepticism towards greenwashing. The results show that Generation Z is interested in eco-friendly labeled products but remains critical of the discrepancy between marketing claims and actual environmental performance, and considers several other factors such as price and quality. This study also shows that the effectiveness of green labels among Generation Z as consumers depends more on brand transparency and honesty than on the symbolic images on the packaging