Sustainability practices, sustainability authenticity and greenwashing shape shopping experience in Malaysia retail spaces

As sustainability becomes increasingly embedded in retail environments, questions remain regarding how different sustainability practices translate into meaningful consumer experiences, and under what conditions their experiential value is enhanced or constrained. Drawing on a conditional process perspective, this study examines the effects of circular economy practices and green retail infrastructure on shopping experience in Malaysian shopping malls, with perceived sustainability authenticity as a mediating mechanism and perceived greenwashing as a boundary condition (moderator). Using survey data collected from 294 mall shoppers and analysed through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the results show that both circular economy practices and green retail infrastructure positively influence shopping experience. However, these effects operate largely through authenticity, confirming authenticity as a central psychological mechanism linking sustainability practices to experiential outcomes. Importantly, the mediated effect of circular economy practices on shopping experience is weakened under high greenwashing conditions, indicating that scepticism constrains the conversion of visible sustainability practices into experiential value. In contrast, the indirect effect of green retail infrastructure remains relatively stable across greenwashing levels, suggesting that resilient infrastructure operates more subtly through ambient environmental cues. By distinguishing between participatory and embedded forms of sustainability, this study advances understanding of how sustainability functions as an experiential driver in retail settings and highlights the importance of authenticity and credibility management. The findings offer important theoretical insights for sustainable retailing research and practical guidance for mall operators aiming to design credible and experience-enhancing sustainability initiatives.