(Un)believably Green: The Role of Information Credibility in Green Food Product Communications

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research explored how variations in green information influence consumer responses to green food packaging. Study 1 (N = 355) addressed how consumers evaluate packaging sustainability given the interplay between source cues, claim cues and the order of cue presentation. Study 2 (N = 546) additionally investigated the role of product cues (namely, naturalness) in sustainability evaluations of green packaging. Both studies examined perceived credibility of green information as the underlining mechanism explaining packaging cues’ effects on perceived sustainability. Overall, consumers valued green communication using credible cues on packaged foods but they also: (1) appreciated higher cue quantity, (2) did not penalize communications using low credibility cues, and (3) evaluated green packaging information swayed by product cues.