Eco Labels or Eco-Noise? Investigating Consumer Trust and Decision Fatigue in Sustainable Product Labels

Sustainability labels have emerged as a key communication tool enabling firms to signal environmental responsibility. However, the increasing proliferation of eco-labels has created a crowded information environment that may overwhelm consumers and reduce the effectiveness of sustainability communication. This paper investigates how the growing presence of multiple eco-labels influences consumer trust and decision fatigue during sustainable purchase decisions. Drawing on Information Overload Theory and Signaling Theory, the study proposes that excessive sustainability labeling may paradoxically reduce consumer confidence in green claims. The proposed model examines how eco-label complexity influences decision fatigue, which in turn affects trust in sustainability claims and purchase intention. The paper contributes to the sustainable commerce literature by identifying how firms can communicate environmental credentials more effectively without overwhelming consumers. This research highlights the importance of clear and credible sustainability communication in advancing responsible consumption within the people-planet-profit framework.