Fostering consumer sustainability trust by integrating blockchain-enabled reviews and QR code traceability systems in supply chain: a three-dimensional measurement scale development

Abstract

Despite the increasing consumer concerns about sustainable supply chain activities, measuring consumer trust in sustainability initiatives remains a challenge. This study develops a scale to measure sustainability trust and highlights how blockchain technology enhances willingness to pay premium prices for sustainable products through QR traceability labelling. To achieve this, we conducted 20 qualitative interviews for scale item generation, followed by purification and validation using data from 802 survey respondents in Vietnam. Data analysis involved exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with SPSS, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) with SmartPLS. EFA identified sustainability trust as a three-dimensional construct with 13 items across Environmental, Social, and Economic Sustainability Trust. CFA confirmed the scale’s reliability and validity, while SEM results demonstrated that both blockchain reviews and QR traceability systems impact sustainability trust, which in turn influences consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price. Both theoretical and managerial implications are carefully discussed.