How many is too many? Exploring the impact of number of eco labels on sustainability perception and willingness to buy textile goods

Abstract

Studies on environmental management are increasingly focusing on the role that ecolabels play in the textile sector in helping customers make educated decisions about their purchases. This study aimed to contribute to the existing literature by investigating the research question: How many labels would be the optimum amount to have in order to increase the sustainability perception and WTB? Trust, information overload, consumers’ scepticism and environmental concern were investigated to understand their impact on the WTB and sustainability perception of consumers.The findings from this study (N =533) highlighted a significant role of information overload on the sustainability perception and WTB. The optimal number of labels could not be established, however multiplicity had a direct effect on the WTB. This study revealed that the effect of eco labels had a positive influence on the sustainability perception. However, they also had a negative influence on information overload, which impacted WTB. Further academic contributions as well as practical implications for businesses and policy makers emerge, such as the creation and unification of common guidelines of environmental claims at EU or even transnational level.

Date of Award	16 Nov 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ian James Scott (Supervisor) & Filipa de Almeida (Co-Supervisor)