International Journal of Halal Industry

Self-declare halal certification in Langsa city: Empowering MSMEs for quality consumption

2025-03-24T07:29:22+00:00

Purpose – This study investigates the implementation of self-declared halal certification among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Langsa city, Aceh, Indonesia. This research aimed to analyze the process and its impact on fostering dignified and quality consumption within the local community.
Methodology – Employing a qualitative field research approach, this study utilized observation, interviews, and documentation as primary data collection techniques. Data were gathered from MSME owners and relevant stakeholders in Langsa city to understand their experience with the self-declared halal certification process.
Findings – The findings revealed that implementing self-declared halal certification required educating MSMEs on its significance and procedures. Most MSMEs recognize the necessity for market acceptance and consumer trust. Challenges include limited understanding of processes, scarce resources, insufficient institutional support, and difficulties in documenting halal-compliant raw materials and production. Despite this, certification provided legal assurance of product safety, enhanced business competitiveness, and strengthened consumer trust and satisfaction.
Implications – This study highlights the potential of self-declared halal certification as an initial step for MSMEs towards broader halal compliance and their integration into the halal market. However, it also underscores the necessity for enhanced support mechanisms and simplified procedures to maximize its effectiveness in empowering MSMEs and promoting dignified and quality consumption.
Originality – This research contributes to the understanding of grassroots-level halal certification implementation and provides valuable insights for the development of more inclusive and harmonized halal standards, particularly for small-scale enterprises.

Strategies on halal certification obligations: Learning from the experience of LPPOM MUI South Sulawesi

2025-02-20T06:58:06+00:00

Purpose – Since 2019, halal inspection institutions (LPH), other than the LPPOM MUI, have been newly formed. faced issues of sentiment towards halal certification and the experience gap between LPH and LPPOM MUI. This research aims to predict registrants for halal product certification at LPPOM MUI South Sulawesi from sentiment on social media and to identify strategies to increase it.
Methodology – The first method used is ARIMAX for halal certification registrants regarding halal logo trends on Google Trends, and the second is SWOT analysis, which continues with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP).
Findings – Based on the results of the ARIMAX analysis of order (0,0,1), there is no significant relationship between the sentiment variables towards halal certification registrants at LPPOM MUI South Sulawesi. The results of the SWOT analysis concluded that LPPOM MUI South Sulawesi is in Quadrant IV, namely on the defensive side, which is unprofitable. For this reason, based on AHP analysis, it is necessary to make improvements in increasing halal awareness for the community, especially for businesspeople and MSMEs.
Implications – This research has implications for the development of strategies at the LPPOM MUI and LPH institutions in increasing halal certification registrants through analysis results.
Originality – This paper provides novel insights into the development of the halal industry through strategic steps, as well as the results of forecasting the number of applicants for halal certification with sentiment towards it, where there is very little research that examines forecasting in the halal industry sector.

Halal Korean cosmetics: Factors shaping female students’ consumption intention in private Islamic universities

2025-09-13T07:43:08+00:00

Purpose – This study aimed to test and analyze the role of Country of Origin, Halal Literacy, Attitude, Subjective Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control on Intention Behavior and User Behavior in the context of Korean halal cosmetics consumption among female students.
Methodology – This study used a quantitative approach with partial least squares-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method (PLS-SEM). Data were collected through an online questionnaire with a 5-point Likert Scale from 223 female respondents across seven private Islamic universities. Data analysis involved evaluating the measurement and structural models to test the validity, reliability, and significance of the hypotheses.
Findings – Country of origin is the strongest predictor of attitude and positively affects both intention and user behavior. Intention strongly predicts user behavior, confirming that strong intentions lead to actions. Interestingly, halal literacy positively affects attitude, but negatively influences intention, indicating that deeper knowledge makes consumers more critical.
Implications – Korean halal cosmetics manufacturers need to highlight their reputation for innovation and product quality. Marketing strategies should focus on building trust and a positive brand image to form strong behavioral intentions rather than relying solely on halal education.
Originality – This study offers novelty by integrating country of origin and halal literacy variables into one extended model, as well as testing the intention and actual usage behavior of a homogeneous consumer segment, namely female students at Islamic universities.

Personal and social drivers of eco-halal consumption: The role in ensuring halal industry sustainability

2025-10-04T15:11:51+00:00

Purpose – Based on Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) theory, this study investigates how the S-O-R model influences eco-halal consumption, which contributes to halal industry sustainability.
Methodology – A quantitative survey design was used with 207 eco-halal consumers in Central Java, Indonesia, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through online questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS).
Findings – The results revealed that religiosity, health consciousness, eco-halal literacy, lifestyle, and social influence significantly and positively shaped eco-halal consumption, whereas price did not have a significant effect. Furthermore, eco-halal consumption strongly and positively influences halal industry sustainability.
Implications – Theoretically, this study enriches the eco-halal consumer behavior literature by highlighting the dominance of spiritual, ethical, and sustainability-oriented factors. Practically, it provides insights for halal industry stakeholders to improve competitiveness through eco-friendly, ethical, and health-conscious practices aligned with consumer expectations.
Originality – This study is among the first to empirically link eco-halal consumption with halal industry sustainability in Indonesia. It emphasizes the integration of religiosity, health consciousness, and eco-halal literacy as the key drivers of the sustainable halal industry

Innovation strategies and competitiveness of the multisectoral halal industry in the digital era and ASEAN economic integration

2025-10-04T15:02:32+00:00

Purpose – This study analyzes the multi-sector halal industry’s innovation and competitiveness strategies, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism, finance, and logistics, in the digital era and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic integration.
Methodology – This study uses a qualitative approach with a literature study design. Data were obtained from scientific journals, global halal industry reports, ASEAN economic policies, and previous research relevant to digital innovation and multisector competitiveness. Content analysis is used to identify strategic themes, including innovation patterns, digitalization barriers, and the influence of economic integration on the competitive performance of each sector.
Findings – The results show that adopting digital technologies such as e-commerce, digital-based halal certification, and Sharia fintech are the primary drivers of increasing operational efficiency and export market access. ASEAN economic integration expands the halal trade network; however, the gap in technological capabilities between countries and the scale of business remains a challenge. Cross-sector collaboration strategies and regulatory harmonization have emerged as key factors in strengthening the competitive position of the halal industry.
Implications – These findings provide policy recommendations for governments, industry players, and investors to accelerate technology adoption, strengthen regional collaboration, and optimize halal export opportunities in global markets.
Originality – This study offers a conceptual framework that integrates the theory of competitive advantage and digital innovation in studying the ASEAN halal industry, making a new contribution to the literature on multi-sector innovation strategies in the digital economy era.

Barriers to halal cosmetic certification: Insights from local cosmetic producers in Brunei

2025-09-04T22:56:49+00:00

Purpose – This study investigates the experiences and challenges encountered by local cosmetic producers in Brunei in obtaining halal certification for their products.
Methodology – A qualitative research design was employed in this study, with data collected through semi-structured interviews involving eight local cosmetic producers in Brunei, all of whom were considered MSMEs.
Findings – The study identifies the bottlenecks to obtaining halal certification revolving around inexpedient requirements during application, tedious approval process, costly application fee, and compressed-operating counter hours. However, the findings revealed that the challenges were not directly linked to the halal certification process itself, but rather to securing the prerequisite Cosmetic Product Notification (CPN), which is required before a halal application for cosmetics can be submitted.
Implications – This study extends the understanding of the current challenges faced by local cosmetic producers, which may lead to their growth and readiness in the cosmetic industry. The results also suggest that authorities should streamline CPN requirements to enhance the growth of the halal cosmetics industry, particularly in Brunei. Further research should examine these challenges from the government’s perspective as policymakers to provide a more balanced understanding of the certification process and examine best solutions and practices from other countries with more streamlined halal certification systems.
Originality – This study offers a novel contribution by examining the halal certification process for cosmetic products in Brunei from the perspective of local MSME producers, an area that has received limited scholarly attention.

Digital transformation in the halal industry: A bibliometric analysis of global research

2025-09-08T03:40:47+00:00

Purpose – This study explores the global literature trends concerning the digital transformation of the halal industry through the lens of a bibliometric methodology by finding key countries, institutions, journals, authors, thematic clusters, and co-occurring keywords and emphasizing the point of intersection of digitalization and sustainability as a potential future research direction.
Methodology – Bibliometric analysis and visualization were used to conduct the research using the Scopus database and VOSviewer software. A total of 298 articles published between 2011 and 2025 were analyzed. Signs of publication increase, citation trends, country and institutional cooperation, and keyword co-occurrence networks were analyzed.
Findings – It was discovered that the growth of publications has been rapid since 2018, peaking in 2024. Malaysia and Indonesia were the major contributors, and hence, the central role of Southeast Asia. Keywords were dominated by blockchain and halal, as research no longer focused on certification and food safety but on state-of-the-art technologies such as blockchain, AI, and machine learning. There was also the identification of strong institutional collaborations in the Journal of Islamic Marketing.
Implications – This research offers lessons to policymakers, scholars, and the industry to improve halal practices using digital technologies with a focus on transparency, traceability, and sustainability in global supply chains and certification systems.
Originality – This work provides a detailed bibliometric review of digital transformation in the halal sector and the concept of twin transformation, connecting digitalization with sustainability and resilience in the international halal ecosystem.