The impact of environmental information disclosure of origin using blockchain technology on online consumer behaviour: A combination of SEM and NCA approaches

Abstract

Food safety issues pose a threat to human health, and blockchain-based traceability can prevent food safety and fraud problems. But what information can be disclosed using blockchain technology to obtain a positive response from consumers? This issue has not received much attention, so this study empirically examines the role of environmental information transparency on the origin of green agricultural products, i.e. soil information transparency and water information transparency, based on signalling theory. The results of the structural equation modelling show that consumer engagement with blockchain technology significantly contributes to the perceived transparency of environmental information of origin. And the perception of soil information transparency had a significant effect on technology trust and perceived quality, but the perception of water information transparency only had a significant effect on perceived quality. Both consumers’ technology trust and perceived quality had a significant impact on online impulse purchases. Further necessary conditions analysis found that perception of water information transparency was a necessary but not a significant condition for technology trust. And perceived quality is a significant but not necessary condition for online impulse purchases. Consumer engagement with blockchain technology is also a significant but not necessary condition for the perceived transparency of origin environmental information. The results of this study inform the adoption of blockchain technology by enterprises and how to enhance online purchasing behaviour.