Structural Analysis of Factors Influencing Consumer Distrust of Product Safety and Distrust of Safety Information

In this study, in a situation where consumer distrust in product safety and product safety information is growing, first, factors affecting consumer competency and consumer distrust in product safety and safety information were investigated using regression analysis. Second, three purchasing behavior characteristics of consumers related to new technology products (following others, leading purchasing, unplanned purchasing) are used as independent variables, two consumer capabilities (purchasing competency, information competency) are used as parameters, and product safety A structural model was set up with consumer distrust of product safety information and consumer distrust as dependent variables, and the relationship between these variables was investigated through covariate structural analysis. The main results of this study can be summarized in five points. First, when simply comparing the average score out of 5, the level of consumer distrust in product safety information was found to be higher than the level of consumer distrust in product safety. Second, looking at the results of the regression analysis in detail, it was found that the purchasing ability of consumers was higher the younger they were, the more employed, college graduates, high-income earners, and the more active their safety-seeking behavior was. Consumers' safety information competency was found to be higher the older they were and the more active their safety-seeking behavior was. Third, as a result of regression analysis, consumer distrust in product safety was found to be high among women, married people, and college graduates. Meanwhile, consumer distrust in product safety information was found to be higher among women, married people, employed people, college graduates, and those with more active safety-seeking behavior. Ultimately, this tells them that efforts are needed to reduce their distrust of product safety and product safety information. Fourth, as a result of covariate structure analysis, it was found that following others and unplanned purchases had a negative effect on consumers' purchasing capabilities, but did not affect information capabilities. Meanwhile, while forward purchasing propensity did not affect consumers' purchasing capabilities, it was found to have a positive effect on safety information capabilities.