Product authenticity in pandemic time: the mediating role of trust

In periods characterized by high uncertainty and insecurity like the COVID-19 outbreak, consumers increase their need for reassurance, specifically in terms of food security, by looking for authenticity signals of the foodstuff able to increase confidence in the product they are going to consume. This more confidence in the food product could be the underlying mechanism of the relationships between product authenticity and, respectively, the reduction of consumers' food fraud risk perception and increasing consumers' willingness to pay. The study provided evidence of the trust's mediating role in the relationships mentioned above during a pandemic.