Voluntary food safety information disclosure and corporate financing structure: based on the perspective of trade credit

The voluntary disclosure of food safety information by companies has attracted significant attention. We empirically examine the impact of voluntary food safety information disclosure (VFSID) on corporate financing structure from the perspective of trade credit. We discover that VFSID reduces corporations’ reliance on trade credit. We find that VFSID reduces corporations’ reliance on trade credit by facilitating additional bank credit. We also observe that the impact of VFSID on corporate trade credit is particularly pronounced for enterprises that disclose more material information and possess stronger motivation for financing structure adjustments. We further explore the economic consequences and find a significant reduction in the cost of corporate financing when corporate trade credit decreases due to VFSID. Our findings enrich the literature on VFSID and financing structure, verify the substitution relationship between bank credit and trade credit, and provide empirical evidence to optimize the financing structure of corporations, reduce the cost of corporate financing, and promote the smooth flow of the supply chain cycle.