Consumer segments based on perceived credibility of four food quality labels in Hungary: credibility hierarchy and origin × organic interactions

Quality labels on food products can act as credibility cues, but in Central and Eastern Europe the coexistence of national and EU schemes may complicate how they are interpreted. This study compares the perceived credibility of four food quality labels in Hungary (Hungarian Product (HP); organic (BIO); Hungarian-language PDO (H-PDO); and English-language PDO (PDO)), derives credibility-based consumer segments, and examines whether the relationship between origin-related and BIO credibility differs across segments. In a quota-based survey ( N = 2340) perceived credibility, label-trust and label-involvement scales and the two factors (patriotism, protectionism) of the revised consumer ethnocentrism scale were used. Factor analysis, Friedman and Wilcoxon tests, K-means segmentation with discriminant and split-half validation, and multinomial logit and probit models with robustness checks were applied. HP was rated most credible; BIO and H-PDO formed a statistically indistinguishable mid-tier, while PDO ranked lowest. Four segments emerged (Label sceptics, Domestic-label believers, Neutral BIO believers, and General label accepters), differing mainly in label-trust, patriotism, and label-involvement rather than in sociodemographic profile. The relationship between origin-related and BIO credibility also differed across segments: the HP × BIO coefficient was positive for Domestic-label believers, negative for General label accepters, and not statistically detectable for Neutral BIO believers. These findings suggest that food quality labels are not interpreted uniformly across consumers and that the credibility of multiple labels depends on segment-specific ways of reading national and EU certification cues.