Enxhi Marku (Shehu), PhDC1, Assistent Lecturer
1LOGOS University College, Faculty of Economics, Department of Creative Marketing for Sustainable Economy, Tirana, Albania
E-mail: enxhi.marku@kulogos.edu.al
ORCiD iD 0009-0007-5440-4325
Olda Çiço, PhD2 , Lecturer / Head of Department
2LOGOS University College, Faculty of Economics, Department of Creative Marketing for Sustainable Economy, Tirana, Albania
ORCiD iD 0009-0001-2118-1571
Abstract
Sustainability claims on food products, ranging from certified eco-labels to self-declared environmental statements, have become a central element of marketing communication strategies in the food industry. These claims aim to signal environmental and social responsibility to consumers, yet their effectiveness depends on how well they communicate credibility, reduce information asymmetry, and ultimately build consumer trust. This paper examines, from a marketing communication perspective, how different types of sustainability claims on food products influence consumer trust and choice behaviour in emerging markets. Based on a narrative literature review synthesizing approximately 25 empirical and conceptual studies, the review organizes findings around three communication dimensions: the informational content of sustainability claims, the visual and verbal design of label presentation, and the trust signals embedded in third-party certification versus self-declaration. The preliminary synthesis reveals that third-party certified labels communicate higher credibility than self-declared claims, but only when consumers recognize the certifying institution; that visual design of sustainability claims significantly affects consumer attention and quality inferences through halo effects; and that the effectiveness gap between developed and emerging markets is primarily a communication gap driven by differences in label literacy and institutional trust. The paper contributes to sustainable marketing scholarship by reframing eco-label research through a communication theory lens and offers practical implications for food marketers and policymakers in emerging economies.
Keywords: sustainability claims; consumer trust; food labelling; marketing communication; eco-labels; emerging markets
Introduction
Sustainability claims on food products have become a central element of marketing communication strategies in the global food industry. These claims range from certified eco-labels, such as the EU Ecolabel and organic certification logos, to self-declared environmental statements like “eco-friendly” or “natural.”
Sustainability claims spread has proliferated to the point where their communicative value is in question. Regulatory pressure accelerates this: the EU Farm to Fork Strategy targets 25% organic farming by 2030 (European Commission, 2020). But more labels do not mean more informed consumers.