The future of green marketing

: exploring the impact of recent EU regulation on brand building

Abstract

The European Union has been working for several years on developing regulations aimed at making them greener and reducing its negative impact on climate change. To achieve this, a variety of regulations are being introduced that will encourage both businesses and consumers to make more sustainable decisions. One recently introduced directive is the <Empowering Consumers Directive.= This directive establishes clear rules on how companies can market their products9 green performance. The aim of this thesis is to explore the impact of the regulations under this directive, which is set to take effect in 2026, and how companies can navigate these new guidelines both internally and externally to continue thriving and building attractive brands that resonate with consumers. For the research, an exploratory sequential approach was used, starting with interviews of 10 experts who are involved in various areas influenced by the directive. This was followed by a survey of 154 participants to test some of the hypotheses. The results show that the directive9s guidelines strengthen consumer trust in brands. Additionally, the regulations indicate that the restructuring phase within companies will be particularly significant, requiring substantial investment in resources to adapt to the new rules. A notable challenge was also identified for smaller companies, which may struggle more with the new regulations.

Date of Award	14 Oct 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Peter V. Rajsingh (Supervisor)