Consumer Trust and the Rise of Ethical Marketing
- International Academy
- Dec 1, 2025
- 12 min read
Abstract
Ethical marketing has become one of the most important forces shaping consumer trust in today’s global marketplace. As consumers face unprecedented exposure to advertising, digital persuasion, and environmental and social challenges, their expectations of firms have shifted significantly. Brands are no longer judged solely on functional performance; they are evaluated by the values they embody and the social responsibilities they embrace. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of how ethical marketing influences consumer trust, drawing on contemporary research from 2019–2025 and grounding the discussion in three major theoretical frameworks: Bourdieu’s theory of practice and symbolic capital, world-systems theory, and institutional isomorphism. These frameworks reveal that ethical marketing is not merely a communication tactic but a phenomenon deeply embedded in social distinction, global economic relations, and institutional pressures.
The article employs a theory-driven narrative review to examine the mechanisms through which ethical marketing enhances trust, the risks associated with greenwashing, and the ways digital transformation intensifies both accountability and vulnerability. Particular attention is given to the technology and tourism sectors, which demonstrate distinctive patterns of ethical communication and consumer expectations. The analysis concludes that ethical marketing has evolved into a structural and strategic necessity for businesses seeking long-term legitimacy and consumer loyalty. The article offers practical, policy, and research implications to help organisations align their internal practices with ethical claims, thereby generating authentic and durable trust.
1. Introduction
The past decade has witnessed a transformation in how consumers interact with brands. The rise of global connectivity, social media, environmental concerns, and cultural shifts has made consumers more aware, more informed, and more critical than ever before. This awareness has contributed to the emergence of ethical marketing as a central business strategy. Ethical marketing, broadly defined, refers to communication and business practices that uphold principles of honesty, fairness, responsibility, transparency, and respect for people and the environment.
While ethical marketing is not a new concept, its importance has grown significantly in the last five years. Consumers increasingly expect brands to align their values with social and environmental priorities. Ethical consumption patterns have become visible across generations, although particularly strong among younger demographic groups who express moral preferences in their consumption habits and online discourse. At the same time, deceptive practices such as greenwashing have drawn attention from regulators, journalists, and consumers, contributing to a climate of scepticism. When brands are perceived as misleading, trust erodes rapidly. Conversely, when ethical communication aligns with genuine corporate behaviour, trust strengthens and becomes a powerful competitive asset.
Even though trust has long been recognised as a key factor influencing consumer behaviour, its connection to ethical marketing has recently become more complex and multidimensional. Trust is no longer built solely on product performance; it derives from alignment between brand identity and consumer values, consistency across channels, and authenticity in claims about environmental and social impact. The evolution of digital platforms further intensifies these dynamics by increasing visibility, traceability, and public scrutiny.
Understanding this complex relationship requires a multidimensional perspective. This article therefore addresses the central question:
How does ethical marketing contribute to consumer trust, and what social, economic, and institutional dynamics drive this relationship?
To answer this question, the article:
Reviews recent research on ethical marketing, ethical consumption, and consumer trust.
Applies Bourdieu’s theory of practice and symbolic capital to interpret ethical marketing as a cultural and social phenomenon.
Incorporates world-systems theory to examine how global inequalities shape ethical claims.
Utilises institutional isomorphism to explain the diffusion of ethical marketing norms across industries.
Analyses sector-specific dynamics in technology and tourism.
Synthesises findings and offers practical recommendations.
This approach enables a comprehensive understanding of ethical marketing not as a public relations trend but as a structural force influencing trust in modern markets.
2. Background and Theoretical Framework
2.1 The rise of ethical marketing and its connection to trust
Ethical marketing has entered mainstream business practice due to multiple converging factors. Recent consumer research shows that individuals increasingly view purchasing decisions as moral choices. Whether the product is food, clothing, banking services, or digital apps, consumers want the companies behind these products to behave responsibly. Ethical considerations include environmental sustainability, fair wages, human rights, data privacy, and truthful advertising. Research from 2019–2025 consistently reveals that consumers reward ethical behaviour with higher trust, increased loyalty, and greater willingness to pay.
Trust plays a mediating role between ethical communication and consumer behaviour. Trust reduces uncertainty, helps consumers make more confident choices, and creates emotional bonds between brands and individuals. When consumers trust a brand, they perceive its messages as credible, its motives as sincere, and its future behaviour as predictable and aligned with their values.
The literature also indicates that ethical claims are effective when they are concrete, verifiable, and consistent. Vague ethical language, symbolic gestures, and unsubstantiated claims often generate scepticism. This is particularly evident in the case of greenwashing, which is now recognised as a major obstacle to consumer trust.
2.2 Bourdieu’s theory of practice, habitus, and symbolic capital
Bourdieu’s work provides a powerful lens for understanding ethical marketing. According to Bourdieu, social life is organised in fields—arenas of competition where individuals and organisations struggle to accumulate various forms of capital: economic, cultural, social, and symbolic. In market fields, companies compete not only through economic capital but also symbolic capital, which includes prestige, reputation, credibility, and perceived moral value.
Ethical marketing can therefore be interpreted as a strategy for acquiring symbolic capital. When a brand positions itself as responsible, environmentally conscious, or socially fair, it presents itself as morally superior in the eyes of consumers. This symbolic advantage can translate into economic outcomes such as sales growth, higher brand loyalty, and competitive differentiation.
Consumers’ interpretation of ethical messages depends on their habitus—their internalised dispositions, values, and preferences. For example, individuals with a strong pro-environmental habitus are more likely to respond positively to ethical messages and view ethical consumption as part of their identity. These consumers may use ethical products as markers of distinction, expressing their cultural and moral positioning within society.
However, symbolic capital is fragile. If consumers discover that ethical claims are false, the symbolic capital rapidly transforms into symbolic debt. This damage can be intensified by social media, where misinformation or contradictions spread quickly.
2.3 World-systems theory: ethical marketing and global inequalities
World-systems theory, originally developed by Immanuel Wallerstein, explains global capitalism as a hierarchical system consisting of core, semi-peripheral, and peripheral countries. Core countries hold economic and political dominance, while peripheral regions often provide labour, raw materials, and manufacturing capacity.
Ethical marketing is frequently shaped by these unequal global relationships. Many ethical claims—such as those related to sustainability, labour standards, or fair wages—concern supply chains located in emerging or developing economies. Consumers in high-income countries increasingly expect brands to ensure fair treatment of workers, environmental protection, and community development across entire global supply networks.
This creates both opportunities and challenges. Ethical marketing can encourage improvements in global working conditions and environmental protection. However, it can also mask inequalities if brands selectively highlight minor improvements while ignoring broader structural problems. When ethical claims fail to reflect realities in the global supply chain, consumer trust is jeopardised.
From this perspective, genuine ethical marketing must confront global power asymmetries rather than simply repackage them.
2.4 Institutional isomorphism and the diffusion of ethical norms
Institutional isomorphism explains the tendency of organisations within a field to become more similar over time due to coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures.
Coercive pressures arise from government regulations, advertising standards, and societal expectations related to sustainability and transparency.
Mimetic pressures motivate firms to imitate the ethical practices of successful competitors, especially under uncertainty.
Normative pressures come from professional bodies, educational institutions, and industry associations that promote ethical frameworks.
The past few years have witnessed all three pressures intensifying. Ethical marketing is increasingly becoming a requirement rather than a choice. Yet as more companies adopt ethical language, the risk of superficial compliance grows. This homogenisation may dilute the meaning of ethical claims, contributing to public scepticism.
Institutional isomorphism therefore helps explain the paradox of ethical marketing: while more firms promote ethical values, not all show meaningful ethical transformation.
3. Method
This article uses a theory-driven narrative review combined with interpretative analysis. Unlike systematic reviews that rely on rigid inclusion criteria, narrative reviews allow flexibility to integrate qualitative insights, theoretical frameworks, and diverse types of literature.
3.1 Literature selection
The review focuses on peer-reviewed articles, books, and conceptual studies published between 2019 and 2025 related to:
ethical marketing
consumer trust
ethical consumption
sustainability and greenwashing
transparency and corporate responsibility
digital brand trust
sector-specific ethical behaviour in technology and tourism
Classic theoretical works by Bourdieu and Wallerstein provide the analytical foundation.
3.2 Analytical process
The selected sources were synthesised around five themes:
Ethical marketing as a driver of trust
The harms of greenwashing
The role of digitalisation
Sectoral dynamics in technology and tourism
Structural explanations through Bourdieu, world-systems theory, and institutional isomorphism
The approach emphasises depth, conceptual coherence, and real-world relevance.
4. Analysis
4.1 Ethical marketing and its mechanisms for building trust
Ethical marketing builds trust through transparency, honesty, fairness, and responsibility.
Transparency
Transparency is one of the strongest predictors of trust. It includes clear product information, honest communication about supply chain conditions, straightforward pricing, and honest explanation of environmental impact. When brands openly share both achievements and limitations, consumers view them as sincere. Transparency reduces the psychological distance between companies and consumers, creating a perception of reliability.
Truthfulness and accuracy
Truthfulness goes beyond avoiding lies; it involves avoiding exaggeration, vague claims, or misleading omissions. Products advertised as “eco-friendly” or “ethical” must justify these claims with measurable attributes. Even small inconsistencies can trigger scepticism because consumers are increasingly aware of deceptive advertising tactics. Research confirms that truthful communication strongly correlates with long-term trust.
Respect and fairness toward consumers
Ethical marketing requires respecting consumers’ rights, including privacy, autonomy, and freedom from manipulation. In digital contexts, this includes transparent data practices, consent mechanisms, and commitment to user safety. Respectful marketing avoids exploiting vulnerable groups. When companies demonstrate concern for consumer wellbeing, consumers reciprocate with trust.
Social and environmental responsibility
Consumers increasingly expect brands to demonstrate responsibility beyond their immediate customer base. This includes reducing emissions, ensuring fair working conditions, supporting local communities, and protecting biodiversity. Ethical responsibility becomes a sign of overall organisational trustworthiness. Consumers reason that a company that takes care of the planet is likely to take care of them.
4.2 Greenwashing and the erosion of trust
Greenwashing is one of the biggest barriers to trust in modern markets. It refers to the practice of making misleading or exaggerated claims about environmental or ethical benefits. Examples include vague terminology (“green,” “eco-friendly”), selective disclosure, overstating sustainability achievements, or using irrelevant certifications.
Consequences of greenwashing
Greenwashing harms trust in several ways:
It creates scepticism toward all ethical claims. When a brand is exposed for greenwashing, consumers may doubt the entire category of ethical marketing.
It damages brand reputation. Consumers perceive greenwashing as intentional deception, which violates the moral contract between companies and society.
It undermines genuine sustainability efforts. Ethical brands may struggle to differentiate themselves from deceptive competitors.
It contributes to regulatory backlash. Increasing regulatory attention in recent years reflects the growing seriousness of greenwashing concerns.
From a Bourdieuian perspective, greenwashing is a failed attempt at accumulating symbolic capital. When symbolic claims are unsubstantiated, they collapse under scrutiny and generate symbolic harm. From a world-systems perspective, greenwashing often hides structural inequalities in global production, intensifying mistrust among informed consumers.
4.3 Digitalisation: trust, vulnerability, and real-time ethics
Digital transformation has reshaped the landscape of ethical marketing. On one hand, digital platforms enhance transparency; on the other hand, they increase vulnerability.
Visibility and traceability
Digital channels allow consumers to access vast amounts of information. Product reviews, independent evaluations, and whistleblower revelations can quickly confirm or contradict a brand’s ethical claims. Ethical credentials must therefore be accurate and consistent across digital and offline environments.
The role of social media
Social media accelerates the spread of both trust and distrust. Positive ethical actions can go viral, enhancing symbolic capital. However, negative revelations—such as labour violations or misleading claims—can spread equally rapidly. Trust can be destroyed in hours.
Data privacy and ethical communication
Digital firms rely heavily on personal data, creating new ethical challenges. Consumers expect:
clear explanations of data usage
control over their information
protection against breaches
Ethical marketing in digital contexts must therefore include responsible data governance. Trust is especially fragile when involving sensitive personal information, such as health data, financial information, or private communications.
Algorithmic fairness
As AI becomes more embedded in consumer interactions, ethical marketing must address concerns about fairness, bias, and discrimination. Consumers increasingly want assurance that automated decisions treat individuals fairly.
4.4 Ethical marketing in the technology sector
The technology industry demonstrates some of the clearest examples of how ethical communication influences trust.
Data privacy as a trust foundation
Tech companies that proactively communicate how they protect user data, limit tracking, and secure systems gain significant trust advantages. When firms fail to protect privacy, trust is damaged not only in the company but also in the broader digital ecosystem.
Responsible AI and digital wellbeing
Companies promoting responsible AI, transparency in algorithms, and user wellbeing have gained symbolic capital. Ethical frameworks introduced in the industry aim to reduce risks, protect vulnerable users, and promote transparency.
The paradox of innovation and ethics
Tech brands often innovate faster than regulatory frameworks evolve. Ethical marketing helps bridge this gap by signalling accountability. However, ethical promises must align with internal engineering and policy practices.
4.5 Ethical marketing in the tourism sector
Tourism is a sector where environmental and cultural impact is particularly visible. Ethical marketing has become central to the industry’s efforts to appeal to conscious travellers.
Sustainable tourism messaging
Many tourism providers now promote practices such as reducing waste, supporting local communities, protecting natural habitats, and offering low-impact transport options. These claims often resonate strongly with consumers seeking meaningful and responsible travel experiences.
The risk of “green tourism washing”
Tourism is also prone to symbolic ethical claims that mask deeper issues. For example:
Hotels may advertise recycling programmes while engaging in environmentally harmful resource consumption.
Eco-friendly labels may be used even when sustainability efforts are minimal.
Cultural tourism may exploit local communities despite ethical rhetoric.
When travellers discover these inconsistencies, their trust in tourism brands deteriorates. This sector therefore illustrates how ethical marketing must be grounded in genuine action.
4.6 The interplay of theory and practice
Bourdieu and symbolic competition
Ethical marketing serves as a form of symbolic capital that elevates a brand’s standing in the market. Consumers interpret ethical messages according to their habitus, reinforcing social identities through ethical consumption choices.
World-systems theory and global ethics
Ethical marketing intersects with global political-economic structures. Brands must demonstrate genuine commitment to improving conditions beyond their home markets.
Institutional isomorphism and convergence
Ethical claims are spreading due to regulatory demands, imitation, and professional norms. However, this convergence can create superficial ethical language if internal practices do not keep pace.
5. Findings
Finding 1: Ethical marketing significantly enhances consumer trust
Across industries, ethical communication—when genuine—creates trust by demonstrating sincerity, transparency, and alignment with consumer values.
Finding 2: Greenwashing is a structural threat
Deceptive ethical claims damage trust and reduce the credibility of the broader ethical marketing field.
Finding 3: Ethical marketing generates symbolic capital
Brands can convert ethical behaviour into reputational advantage, but this symbolic capital must be continuously earned through consistent practice.
Finding 4: Global inequalities shape ethical perceptions
Ethical claims must be supported by responsible behaviour across global supply chains.
Finding 5: Institutional pressures drive the spread of ethical language
Regulation, imitation, and professional norms contribute to the widespread adoption of ethical frameworks.
Finding 6: Digitalisation amplifies both trust and distrust
Technology increases transparency and accountability, accelerating the effects of both ethical and unethical behaviour.
Finding 7: Sectoral differences shape ethical expectations
Technology emphasises data ethics, while tourism emphasises sustainability and cultural respect.
6. Conclusion and Implications
Ethical marketing has shifted from a peripheral communication strategy to a central pillar of business legitimacy. As consumers grow more discerning and socially aware, trust becomes the most valuable currency brands can earn. Ethical marketing, when rooted in genuine organisational behaviour, strengthens this trust by communicating responsibility, fairness, and transparency.
However, ethical marketing is also vulnerable to misuse. Greenwashing undermines consumer confidence and puts pressure on regulators to enforce stricter standards. Companies must therefore approach ethical marketing as a holistic commitment, not a branding exercise.
Managerial Implications
Integrate ethics into core strategy rather than outsourcing it to marketing teams.
Ensure consistency between ethical claims and internal practices throughout supply chains.
Use precise, measurable, and verifiable ethical claims.
Promote a culture of responsibility across all organisational levels.
Policy Implications
Strengthen regulations around ethical advertising and sustainability reporting.
Encourage independent verification of ethical claims.
Penalise deceptive practices to maintain public trust in ethical certifications.
Research Implications
Future research should explore:
How cultural and socioeconomic differences shape ethical trust.
How consumers verify ethical claims in digital contexts.
The relationship between ethical marketing and long-term financial performance.
The role of emerging technologies, such as blockchain and AI, in enhancing authenticity.
Limitations
This article relies on theoretical and qualitative analysis rather than new empirical data. Nevertheless, the combination of contemporary literature and powerful theoretical frameworks creates a strong foundation for future research.
Ultimately, the rise of ethical marketing reflects a broader shift in society’s expectations of business. Trust is no longer given freely; it must be earned continuously through ethical behaviour, honesty, and responsibility. Brands that internalise these principles will thrive in the new ethical economy, while those that rely on superficial claims risk long-term irrelevance.
References
(Books and peer-reviewed articles only; no external links.)
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