Influencing Factors of Consumer Brand Trust towards Sustainable Brands among Generation Z and Millennials in Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This research aimed to examine factors influencing consumer trust in sustainable brands among young consumers (Gen Z and Millennials). Using a mixed-methods approach, the study surveyed 400 respondents and conducted 20 in-depth interviews. The research instruments were validated with content validity (IOC = 0.82-0.96) and reliability (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.895). The results revealed five key factors affecting trust: (1) Communication transparency (β = 0.342, p < 0.001), (2) Value congruence (β = 0.298, p < 0.001), (3) Product quality (β = 0.256, p < 0.001), (4) Social initiatives (β = 0.213, p < 0.01), and (5) Brand image (β = 0.187, p < 0.01), collectively explaining 68.4% of trust variance.
Generational comparison showed that Gen Z prioritizes communication transparency significantly more than Millennials (t = 3.21, p < 0.01), while Millennials emphasize product quality more than Gen Z (t = -2.87, p < 0.01). Qualitative findings supported quantitative results, with 85% of interviewees mentioning the importance of transparency and third-party certifications. The findings indicate that young consumers prioritize transparency and value alignment when evaluating sustainable brands, providing crucial insights for brands to develop targeted communication and marketing strategies for each demographic group.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Views and opinions appearing in articles in the Journal of Arts of Management It is the responsibility of the author of the article. and does not constitute the view and responsibility of the editorial team I agree that the article is copyright of the Arts and Management Journal.
References
Ali, S. M. S., Dakshinamurthy, T., Priyadarshi, P., Mittal, M., S, N. & Sanjay, K. (2025). Consumer trust in digital brands: The role of transparency and ethical marketing. Advances in Consumer Research, 2(1), 106-114.
Amra & Elma. (2025). Best brand trust and transparency statistics 2025. https://www.amraandelma.com/brand-trust-and-transparency-statistics/
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Becker—Olsen, K., Cudmore, A., & Hill, R. (2006) The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 59, 46-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2005.01.001
BSR. (2018, October 24). Millennials, Gen Z, and the future of sustainability. https://www.bsr.org/en/blog/millennials-generation-z-future-of-sustainable-business
Compare Ethics. (2020, October 6). Only 20 percent of consumers trust brand sustainability claims, study finds. Women's Wear Daily. https://wwd.com/sustainability/business/feature/greenwashing-fashion-sustainability-compare-ethics-1234626171/
Content Grip. (2025, June 18). 5 brands thriving with Gen Z: What they're doing right. https://www.contentgrip.com/brands-thriving-with-gen-z/
Directors Institute. (2025, February 21). The impact of ESG on consumer trust and loyalty: How sustainable practices influence consumer behaviour and brand loyalty. https://www.directors-institute.com/post/the-impact-of-esg-on-consumer-trust-and-loyalty-how-sustainable-practices-influence-consumer-behavi
Dragolea, L. L., Cotirlea, D. A., Gheorghiu, A., & Andronie, M. (2023). Determining factors in shaping the sustainable behavior of the Generation Z consumer. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11, 1096183. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1096183
EY. (2025). How to beat the consumer trust gap for a greener wallet and world. https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/sustainability/beating-the-consumer-trust-gap-for-a-greener-world
Kadence International. (2024). Why Gen Z values sustainability: Tips for marketing to the eco-conscious generation. https://kadence.com/en-us/why-gen-z-values-sustainability-tips-for-marketing-to-the-eco-conscious-generation/
McKinsey & NielsenIQ. (2023, February 6). Consumers care about sustainability—and back it up with their wallets. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/consumers-care-about-sustainability-and-back-it-up-with-their-wallets
Montecchi, M., Plangger, K., West, D., & de Ruyter, K. (2024). Perceived brand transparency: A conceptualization and measurement scale. Psychology & Marketing, 41(10), 2274-2297. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.22048
PDI Technologies. (2023, July 27). The green generation: Tracking Gen-Z trends in sustainable purchasing habits. https://pditechnologies.com/blog/tracking-gen-z-consumer-trends-sustainability/
Theocharis, D., & Tsekouropoulos, G. (2025). Sustainable consumption and branding for Gen Z: How brand dimensions influence consumer behavior and adoption of newly launched technological products. Sustainability, 17(9), 4124. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17094124
Yamane, T. (1973). Statistics: An introductory analysis (3rd ed.). Harper and Row.
