Blockchain as a Trust Machine: Consumer Adoption in the Packaged Food Industry in Emerging Markets

This study investigates the determinants of consumer adoption of blockchain technology (BCT) for traceability in the packaged food industry. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research model incorporates perceived trust as a crucial factor influencing consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions. A survey instrument was developed based on an extensive literature review, measuring five key constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived trust, attitude, and behavioral intention. Data collected from a sample of Indian consumers were analyzed using confirmatory factor Analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) in AMOS. Furthermore, perceived trust has a non-significant influence on both consumer attitude and behavioral intention toward using BCT, whereas the traditional TAM constructs of perceived usefulness and ease of use exhibit mixed effects. This research contributes to the theoretical extension of technology adoption models by assessing the paramount role of trust in the context of BCT for food traceability. For practitioners, it provides actionable insights for stakeholders in the packaged food supply chain. It suggests that emphasizing the trust feature does not have a significant effect on blockchain technology adoption in the packaged food case.