Product information culture as a factor in ensuring market transparency and consumer confidence

Abstract

The study is devoted to substantiating the information culture of goods as a complex scientific category that determines the quality, completeness, and reliability of product information and acts as a key factor in ensuring market transparency and building consumer confidence in the context of the digitalization of commodity circulation. The purpose of the article is to theoretically substantiate the concept of product information culture as a systemic factor in product traceability and to analyze current sources of product information in order to develop recommendations for improving consumer information and expert assessment mechanisms in Ukraine. The methodological basis of the study was provided by methods of theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific sources, structural and functional modeling, interdisciplinary analogy with the concept of information culture of an organization, as well as a systematic approach to evaluating sources of product information. For the applied interpretation of the results, elements of commodity science and expert assessment of labeling, accompanying documentation, and digital means of product identification were used. As a result of the study, a structural and functional model of product information culture was developed, covering the culture of documentation, analytical and synthetic processing, information flow management, technical and technological, and legal and ethical components. The main sources of product information have been systematized, in particular regulatory and technical documentation, conformity assessment documents, customs databases, barcode systems, and smart labeling. It has been proven that the integration of digital verification tools (QR codes, RFID, GS1 Digital Link standards, digital product passports) increases the reliability, completeness, and accessibility of information, reduces information asymmetry, and minimizes the risks of counterfeiting. The conclusions formulated in the article show that the information culture of a product is not only an information tool, but also a strategic reputational asset for market participants. Its high level contributes to increased consumer confidence, effective product expertise, and compliance with international traceability requirements. The study also identified the main barriers to the development of product information culture in Ukraine and determined areas for improvement in the context of the digital transformation of the market.