Consumer confidence in credence attributes: The role of brand trust

While the concept of institutional trust has received considerable attention in different branches of the social science literature, brand trust has been somewhat neglected, particularly with respect to the food sector. Motivated by the need to further investigate the concept, this paper develops a conceptual framework that explores the effects of brand trust, trust in the food system, consumer confidence and brand loyalty. While most extant studies have examined the brand trust-brand loyalty link, this paper proposes that: (i) the impact of brand trust on consumer confidence in brand attributes is mediated by trust in the food system, and (ii) brand trust leads to brand loyalty via consumer confidence. The proposition is tested using Structural Equation Modelling techniques based on survey data from a sample of Canadian consumers of packaged green salad. Results indicate that in a food context, brand trust is positively associated with consumer confidence in brand quality and safety, largely via trust in the food system. Furthermore, confidence in credence attributes is shown to lead to brand loyalty. While previous research conceived brand trust as a multidimensional construct, the analysis suggests that trust in food brands could be better explained by a one-factor model.