Exploring the influence of traceability and sustainability certifications on consumers choices: A CUB model analysis with gender and geographical affiliations-based insights

Growing consumer interest in food traceability and sustainability has led to a greater focus on product certifications, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in the agri-food market. In this context, it is important to understand how consumers perceive these certifications and how influential they are in terms of purchasing decisions. This study analysed the impact of traceability, sustainability, and organic certifications on the food choices and perception of certified products among Italian consumers. It also examined consumer interest in five certified sustainable supply chains. The influence of two sociodemographic characteristics (gender and geographic affiliation) on the perceived value of certifications was examined, too. Data were collected through an online survey of 1250 Italian consumers. The Combination of Uniform and Shifted Binomial (CUB) model was used to evaluate perceptions across two key dimensions: feeling and uncertainty. The results showed that certifications play a central role in purchasing decisions and are strongly associated with safety and quality. Both geographic origin and gender were found to significantly affect consumers' perceptions and the importance they attach to certifications. This research contributes to the existing literature by investigating how gender and geographical identity interact to shape certification preferences and perceptions, considering both the strength of preference and the degree of uncertainty in final responses.