The role of brand trust in purchase intention: The case of a chain food and beverage business

This study examines the role of brand trust in influencing consumers' preferences for chain food and beverage establishments through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The TPB framework includes three main components: attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. Using a sample of 399 respondents, the study employs a survey methodology to measure these components as well as brand trust. The results show that attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control significantly influence purchase intention towards chain food and beverage establishments. Furthermore, brand trust was found to moderate the relationship between perceived behavioral control and purchase intention and strengthen this link. However, brand trust did not significantly moderate the relationships between attitudes, subjective norms and purchase intention. These findings suggest that although brand trust is crucial in enhancing perceived behavioral control, its influence on attitudes and subjective norms may be less pronounced. The study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of brand trust in consumer decision-making processes and offers practical implications for marketing strategies in the food and beverage industry. Future research should explore the long-term effects of brand trust and consider different demographic and cultural contexts to further generalize the findings.