Green Marketing: Eco-Conscious Branding in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Growing ecological awareness and regulatory pressure are transforming the competitive logic of Uzbek firms. Green marketing—the strategic integration of environmental concerns into branding—has emerged as a salient response. This study investigates how enterprises in Uzbekistan embed eco-conscious values in their brand narratives, which factors shape consumer acceptance, and what obstacles curb wider adoption. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combines longitudinal policy analysis, a survey of 318 urban consumers, deep-dive interviews with 22 marketing managers, and content analysis of 47 corporate sustainability reports, the article shows that (i) state-led “green economy” targets and forthcoming restrictions on single-use plastics accelerate corporate engagement; (ii) consumer demand is strongest among Generation Z and rises with trust in domestic environmental policy; (iii) successful brands pivot from symbolic messaging to verifiable life-cycle improvements, thereby reducing “greenwashing” risk; and (iv) the absence of unified ecolabel standards and limited access to green finance restrain scale-up. Policy and managerial recommendations include establishing a national eco-label, expanding preferential credit lines for sustainable packaging, and fostering cross-sector knowledge networks.