Decoding the Green Narrative: Exploring the Interplay between Media Literacy and Consumer Perceptions of Greenwashing

People who consume resources without considering the future exist on the one hand, and people who have never had access to certain resources on the other. Although many businesses simply seem to adhere to sustainability, those who uphold this concept are concerned about safeguarding resources for future generations. How well-informed are customers, and what impact does media literacy have? The goal of this study is to improve comprehension of viewpoints of consumers on greenwashing and media literacy and discover whether there is a meaningful relationship between the two. This study also investigates the function of green literacy in promoting environmentally friendly behavior and sustainable consumption. A three-stage survey on greenwashing, media literacy, and demographic information was administered to 256 undergraduate students in Istanbul between October 10 and December 14, 2023. According to the study's findings, consumers' capacity to evaluate the veracity of environmental claims and greenwashing techniques is improved by greater media literacy; nevertheless, their opinions are not much effected by taking media literacy classes or events.