Exploring brand trust scales: Bringing clarity through the ‘trust-as-process’ framework

The changing consumer environment is increasing the risks consumers navigate, making trust in brands more important than ever. Researchers have developed a variety of scales, each operationalising brand trust differently. This diversity can lead to inconsistencies in research findings, making it difficult to compare results across studies and limiting cumulative knowledge-building. However, to date, little attention has been given to critically reviewing how well these measures align with theoretical conceptualisations of brand trust. To advance a coherent understanding of brand trust and theoretical development, alignment of theory and operationalisation is essential. This article reviews brand trust scales used over the past five years, a period of substantial growth in research on the topic, and highlights current practices in measuring brand trust. Utilising the trust-as-process framework, this review assesses the most widely used scales to identify the elements of brand trust they measure. Our findings reveal inconsistencies in the measurement of brand trust, with some measures conflating perceived trustworthiness and trusting intentions under the broader concept of brand trust. By clarifying these distinctions, we provide guidance for researchers on selecting appropriate scales based on the specific trust element they aim to measure, enhancing precision and clarity in brand trust research.