The findings offer an important lesson for the cosmetics and skincare industry, where environmental claims are increasingly becoming part of product development and marketing. For consumers, however, simply labeling a product “green” may not be enough. The research indicates that environmentally friendly product attributes and promotional messages become more effective when consumers believe the brand’s environmental claims are credible and consistent.
Why Green Marketing Matters for Skincare
Environmental concerns have intensified pressure on companies to reduce waste and use resources more responsibly. The cosmetics industry is part of this challenge. The journal article notes that the global cosmetics sector produces more than 100 billion units of packaging annually, with much of it consisting of single-use packaging that is difficult to recycle. Indonesia is also facing increasing plastic waste, making sustainable consumption an increasingly relevant issue.
Green marketing has emerged as one response. In the study, a green product refers to a product designed to reduce environmental harm, including through safer raw materials, recyclable packaging, or more efficient production. Green promotion refers to advertising and communication that highlights a company’s environmental values and practices.
The researchers examined The Body Shop because the brand has promoted several environmental initiatives, including the use of natural ingredients, a cruelty-free commitment, refill stations, the “Bring Back Our Bottles” program, and the #KerenTanpaNyampah campaign.
At the same time, the study points to a decline in The Body Shop’s popularity in the Hand & Body Lotion category of the Top Brand Awards, from 1.9 percent in 2025 to 1.7 percent in 2026. The researchers used this decline to illustrate that environmental initiatives alone do not necessarily guarantee stable repurchase intention.
Survey of 130 Consumers in Bandung
Sadewo and Dhameria used a quantitative survey involving consumers in Bandung who had purchased and used The Body Shop products. After data cleaning, 130 valid responses were analyzed. Respondents completed a five-point questionnaire measuring their perceptions of green products, green promotion, green trust, and repurchase intention.
The researchers processed the data using SPSS 27. Statistical tests were used to determine whether green products and green promotion influenced consumer trust and whether those factors ultimately affected consumers’ intention to repurchase. A Sobel test was also used to determine whether green trust acted as a link between green marketing and repurchase intention.
Overall, respondents gave positive assessments to all four variables. Green trust recorded the highest average score per item at 4.07, followed by green promotion at 3.92, green product at 3.88, and repurchase intention at 3.87.
Green Trust Has the Strongest Influence
The statistical results showed that both green products and green promotion significantly increased green trust.
- Green product → green trust: coefficient 0.349, significance below 0.001.
- Green promotion → green trust: coefficient 0.311, significance below 0.001.
- Together, green products and green promotion explained 53 percent of the variation in green trust.
Green trust also had a significant positive effect on consumers’ intention to repurchase. Its coefficient was 0.610, the largest coefficient among the factors examined.
Green products directly influenced repurchase intention with a coefficient of 0.220, while green promotion had a coefficient of 0.227. Both relationships were statistically significant.
The mediation analysis produced another important finding. Green trust partially mediated the relationship between green products and repurchase intention, with an indirect effect of 0.213. It also partially mediated the relationship between green promotion and repurchase intention, with an indirect effect of 0.190. Both mediation effects were statistically significant at below 0.001.
This means green marketing can influence repurchase intention through two routes: consumers may respond directly to environmentally friendly products and promotions, while those same experiences can also strengthen trust in the brand, which further encourages repeat purchases.
Consistency Matters More Than Green Claims Alone
For businesses, the study highlights the importance of making environmental claims that consumers can trust. According to Sadewo and Dhameria of Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, positive perceptions of environmentally friendly ingredients, recyclable packaging, and clear product information can strengthen consumers’ confidence in a brand’s environmental commitment.
The researchers also emphasize that promotional messages should be consistent, informative, and free from exaggeration. Their findings suggest that green trust is built not only through marketing claims but through consistency between what a company communicates and what it actually does.
For The Body Shop and other skincare companies, this could mean providing clearer information about raw materials, environmental certifications, packaging programs, and refill systems. The study specifically recommends maintaining programs such as refill stations and packaging-return initiatives while improving transparency around environmentally friendly practices.
The findings may also be relevant beyond cosmetics. Businesses promoting sustainable products need to demonstrate that their environmental messages are supported by credible practices. Consumer trust can become a bridge between sustainability efforts and long-term customer relationships.
Author Profile
Grasella Mahariz Putri Sadewo is the lead author and corresponding author of the study. She is affiliated with the Management Business Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani. Her research in this article focuses on green marketing, consumer green trust, and repurchase intention among skincare consumers. The article does not state her academic degree.
Vita Dhameria is affiliated with the same Management Business Study Program at Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani and served as the thesis supervisor. Her contribution in this research is connected to green marketing and consumer-related marketing performance.
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