Consumer Trust and Willingness to Pay for Quality Labels in the Agri-Food Sector: Evidence from Serbia

Abstract

Quality labels represent an important instrument for strengthening consumer confidence and improving the market positioning of agri-food products. However, their effectiveness largely depends on consumer recognition and trust. The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between consumer recognition of quality labels, trust in these labels, and willingness to pay a price premium for agri-food products in Serbia. Empirical research was conducted through an online survey. The collected data were processed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis in order to identify relationships among the observed variables. The results indicate that higher recognition of quality labels positively influences consumer trust, while trust significantly increases consumers’ willingness to pay a premium price for labelled agri-food products. The findings suggest that improving consumer awareness and credibility of quality certification systems may contribute to greater competitiveness and market differentiation of agri-food products.