The Chain Reaction of Trust: Exploring Sequential Mediation of ‎Supply Chain and Product Trust in Green Consumer Decisions

  • Authors

    https://doi.org/10.14419/rvhqnw86

    Received date: July 14, 2025

    Accepted date: July 20, 2025

    Published date: July 25, 2025

  • Supply Chain Transparency; Consumer Trust; Green Purchasing; Sequential Mediation; Sustainability

  • Abstract

    This research examines the sequential mediation process through which supply chain transparency influences green consumer purchasing ‎decisions via trust mechanisms. Drawing on trust theory and the theory of planned behavior, we propose and test a model where supply ‎chain transparency sequentially affects supply chain trust, product trust, and ultimately green purchase intentions. Analysis of recent consumer behavior data (2020-2024) reveals that supply chain transparency creates a cascading trust effect, with supply chain trust mediating the relationship between transparency and product trust, which in turn influences green purchase intentions. Results demonstrate that ‎‎79% of consumers trust sustainability messaging when brands communicate transparently, while 55% remain skeptical of eco-friendly ‎claims lacking transparency. The sequential mediation model explains significant variance in green purchase intentions (R² = 0.47), with ‎specific indirect effects showing that supply chain transparency → supply chain trust → product trust → green purchase intention pathway ‎accounts for 34% of the total effect. These findings provide theoretical contributions to trust transfer theory and practical implications for ‎supply chain managers implementing transparency initiatives. The study addresses the critical gap in understanding how transparency ‎builds consumer trust through sequential psychological processes rather than direct effects‎.

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  • How to Cite

    Zhang, J. . (2025). The Chain Reaction of Trust: Exploring Sequential Mediation of ‎Supply Chain and Product Trust in Green Consumer Decisions. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(3), 223-230. https://doi.org/10.14419/rvhqnw86