Information Specificity in Carbon Labels: Consumer Perceptions of Greenwashing and Brand Evaluations in Environmental CSR

Managing stakeholder expectations in corporate sustainability has become increasingly challenging as consumers grow skeptical of greenwashing, yet existing research offers limited insight into how message specificity can alleviate these concerns. Prior studies on corporate environmental communication often treat sustainability claims as homogeneous, overlooking how varying levels of informational detail influence perceptions of credibility and legitimacy. To address this gap, this study applies signaling and legitimacy theory to examine how varying levels of carbon label specificity shape consumer evaluations. Using a between-subjects experiment with 400 participants from New York State, four levels of carbon information specificity were examined. Results indicate that detailed carbon labels reduce perceptions of greenwashing and improve brand evaluations, with information specificity exerting a significant direct effect on both outcomes. The mediating role of carbon awareness was partial in that while carbon awareness did not significantly mediate the relationship between information specificity and greenwashing perceptions, it did mediate the relationship between information specificity and brand evaluations. Practical recommendations suggest that detailed, verifiable carbon labels should be prioritized over vague claims to mitigate perceptions of greenwashing and enhance brand evaluations.