Green Food or Greenwashing Trap? The Impact of Greenwashing Perception on Brand Trust and Consumer Food Choices

As green consumption becomes mainstream, deceptive marketing in the food industry poses a significant threat to the sustainability of food systems. This study aimed to investigate how consumers’ psychological decision-making mechanisms and food choices are influenced by corporate greenwashing. This study utilized a quantitative cross-sectional design, integrating environmental cognition, greenwashing perception, and brand trust into an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Survey data collected from 445 respondents in Taiwan, using a fictional plant-based food (oat milk) brand as a scenario stimulus, were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that environmental knowledge and awareness significantly enhance greenwashing perception, which significantly diminishes brand trust, thereby diminishing positive sustainable food choices. Notably, environmental awareness positively moderated the relationship between greenwashing perception and brand trust. Furthermore, the interaction between perceived behavioral control and attitude toward food choices was not significant, demonstrating that emotional rejection substantially outweighs rational evaluation when faced with food-related deception. This study re-examines the rational assumptions of the traditional TPB, revealing that moral defense mechanisms play a central role in consumer food choices. From a practical perspective, the findings urge food enterprises to shift from symbolic green marketing to high transparency, which is essential for restoring brand trust and avoiding consumer boycotts.