Effect of Digital Brand Transparency On Consumer Trust with Reference to Packed Food Products

Purpose – This study examines the effect of digital brand transparency on consumer trust in the context of packed food products. Specifically, it investigates how different dimensions of transparency—including ingredient disclosure, nutritional information, sourcing practices, pricing transparency, sustainability communication, and digital platform accessibility—influence consumer trust, purchase intention, brand loyalty, and perceived product quality. Design/Methodology/Approach – A quantitative, descriptive research design was employed. Primary data was collected from 320 respondents through a structured questionnaire administered online. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis (Cronbach’s Alpha), Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS (v25). Findings – Digital brand transparency has a significant positive effect on consumer trust (r = 0.76, p < 0.01). Consumer trust fully mediates the relationship between digital transparency and all behavioral outcomes—purchase intention (r = 0.79), brand loyalty (r = 0.74), and perceived product quality (r = 0.72). Ingredient transparency (Mean = 4.21) and digital platform accessibility (Mean = 4.15) emerged as the strongest transparency dimensions. Social media was the most widely used platform (71%) through which consumers accessed brand information. High transparency brands outperformed low transparency brands across all five behavioural outcomes by margins of 25–35 percentage points. Practical Implications – The findings provide actionable guidance for packed food marketers: prioritizing honest ingredient disclosure, maintaining consistent multi-platform communication, and leveraging digital tools such as QR codes and social media are critical strategies for building consumer trust and driving repeat purchasing. Originality/Value – This study is among the few empirical investigations that comprehensively examine multiple dimensions of digital brand transparency and their interconnected effects on consumer trust and behavioral outcomes specifically within the Indian packed food sector.