Consumers' trust in eco‐labels is declining due to the growing number of different kinds of eco‐labels that can be uncertified and related to greenwashing. This paper argues that providing more transparency regarding green supply chains (GSCs) through eco‐labels (such as Cradle to Cradle Certified®) is critical for creating trust and convincing consumers to buy eco‐products over conventional ones. Building on previous literature related to sustainable consumption behavior, green purchasing behavior, Cradle to Cradle certification and GSC management, we develop and test a conceptual model to empirically investigate the links between consumers' trust in eco‐product labels and GSC perceptions in influencing green purchase behavior (GPB) in the case of eco‐friendly fast‐moving consumer goods (FMCGs). By studying a sample of 276 German consumers and applying structural equation modeling, we find that the trust in eco‐product labels and positive perceptions of GSCs are important drivers of GPB. Our research contributes by expanding the knowledge on the factors influencing the acceptance of eco‐products, highlighting the importance of supply chain transparency and trust in GSCs among consumers. We discuss theoretical implications for green product innovation and marketing including eco‐product labeling based on transparent GSCs.
The energy sector is in transition to a flexible and sustainable energy system based on renewable energy sources. This complex transition is affecting multiple levels in the sociotechnical system. One driver of the transition is climate change that enforces the policy push from the macro level to change the way energy is produced, delivered, and used. As part of the energy system evolution, the role of the end user in the energy sector is undergoing profound changes, and consumers are increasingly being empowered to participate actively in the production and use of energy. This article investigates how policies might affect consumers’ interests in becoming prosumers of energy. We explore consumers’ attitudes toward using renewable energy technologies (RET) by means of an empirical consumer survey that was conducted in five European countries. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was utilized to analyze the survey results. Our findings suggest that both economic and non-economic policies affect consumer attitudes toward using renewable energy technologies. We conclude that policies have different effects on consumers and prosumers, who have already made the decision to adopt renewable energy solutions. Based on the findings, we propose a set of policy and managerial implications.