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Communicating Sustainability in the FMCG Industry: A Comparative Media Analysis of Greenwashing and Corporate Transparency
Subject area: Management and Commerce · Area of research: Sustainability Communication
Abstract
The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry has increasingly positioned sustainability as a central element of corporate communication in response to growing environmental concerns, heightened consumer awareness, and evolving regulatory expectations. Through advertising campaigns, corporate websites, sustainability reports, and social media platforms, companies frequently promote commitments related to plastic reduction, carbon neutrality, responsible sourcing, and circular economy initiatives. Simultaneously, concerns regarding greenwashing the dissemination of misleading or exaggerated environmental claims have intensified, raising questions about the credibility and transparency of sustainability communication. This study critically examines sustainability narratives communicated by six major FMCG companies Unilever, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble (P&G), and ITC Limited between 2021 and 2025. Employing a qualitative comparative media content analysis, the research analyses sustainability reports, corporate websites, digital advertising campaigns, Instagram and LinkedIn content, and environmental commitment statements. To validate corporate claims, the study triangulates these communications with independently verified assessments from organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), CDP, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Changing Markets Foundation, and Corporate Knights. The analysis focuses on five dimensions: sustainability messaging, transparency and disclosure, supply-chain accountability, environmental targets, and consistency between communication and documented environmental performance. Findings indicate considerable variation in the authenticity of sustainability communication. While several companies demonstrate measurable progress through science-based targets and transparent reporting, others rely heavily on symbolic environmental messaging supported by limited quantitative evidence. The study argues that media framing significantly influences public perception of corporate sustainability, often emphasizing positive environmental narratives while minimizing unresolved environmental challenges. By integrating media framing with documentary evidence, the research contributes to scholarship on corporate communication, green marketing, and sustainability communication. It also offers practical recommendations for strengthening transparency, improving regulatory oversight, and promoting evidence-based environmental communication within the FMCG sector.
Keywords
Greenwashing, Sustainability Communication, FMCG Industry, Media Framing, Corporate Communication, Consumer Trust, ESG Communication
References
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How to cite this paper
@article{1719990,
author = {Dr. Rajashree S Adhikary},
title = {Communicating Sustainability in the FMCG Industry: A Comparative Media Analysis of Greenwashing and Corporate Transparency},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {6},
pages = {2663-2675},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1719990.pdf},
abstract = {The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry has increasingly positioned sustainability as a central element of corporate communication in response to growing environmental concerns, heightened consumer awareness, and evolving regulatory expectations. Through advertising campaigns, corporate websites, sustainability reports, and social media platforms, companies frequently promote commitments related to plastic reduction, carbon neutrality, responsible sourcing, and circular economy initiatives. Simultaneously, concerns regarding greenwashing the dissemination of misleading or exaggerated environmental claims have intensified, raising questions about the credibility and transparency of sustainability communication. This study critically examines sustainability narratives communicated by six major FMCG companies Unilever, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble (P&G), and ITC Limited between 2021 and 2025. Employing a qualitative comparative media content analysis, the research analyses sustainability reports, corporate websites, digital advertising campaigns, Instagram and LinkedIn content, and environmental commitment statements. To validate corporate claims, the study triangulates these communications with independently verified assessments from organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), CDP, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Changing Markets Foundation, and Corporate Knights. The analysis focuses on five dimensions: sustainability messaging, transparency and disclosure, supply-chain accountability, environmental targets, and consistency between communication and documented environmental performance. Findings indicate considerable variation in the authenticity of sustainability communication. While several companies demonstrate measurable progress through science-based targets and transparent reporting, others rely heavily on symbolic environmental messaging supported by limited quantitative evidence. The study argues that media framing significantly influences public perception of corporate sustainability, often emphasizing positive environmental narratives while minimizing unresolved environmental challenges. By integrating media framing with documentary evidence, the research contributes to scholarship on corporate communication, green marketing, and sustainability communication. It also offers practical recommendations for strengthening transparency, improving regulatory oversight, and promoting evidence-based environmental communication within the FMCG sector.},
keywords = {Greenwashing, Sustainability Communication, FMCG Industry, Media Framing, Corporate Communication, Consumer Trust, ESG Communication},
month = {December},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I6-1719990}
}