Food certification is a voluntary assurance quality scheme that is approved by a recognised accredited body (Albersmeier, Schulze & Spiller 2009). The purpose of standards and certification of food products is to demonstrate quality and to obtain the trust of consumers with whom producers do not have a direct relationship (Higgins, Dibden & Cocklin 2008). Aspects of the quality of food products or commodities that are sometime regulated and referred to in certification schemes include attributes such as safety, nutritional content, labelling, production processes, and/or branding (Watts & Goodman 1997; Busch & Bain 2004; Doherty & Campbell 2014). However, academic literature on the relationships between organic and halal certification in food retailing is limited, including in Malaysia. Previous studies have examined the perceptions of producers and consumers on food certification, in particular in relation to determinants such as socio-demographic characteristics and willingness to pay (WTP) for food safety and quality (Uggioni & Salay 2014; Probst Houedjofonon, Ayerakwa & Hass 2012). In addition, research has also been conducted on consumer awareness, trust, purchasing decisions, and WTP (Gerrard, Janssen, Smith, Hamm & Padel 2013; Essoussi & Zahaf 2009), and environmental and animal welfare (Golnaz, Zainalabidin, Mad Nasir & Eddie Chiew 2010).
According to Anders, Souza-Monteiro and Rouviere (2010), information asymmetries and uncertainty over product safety and quality is increasing in the global food retail sector. Information asymmetries occur when the processing of food products cannot be verified by the retailers or consumers of, for example, organic and halal products. Such products are considered as credence products (Darby & Karni 1973; Roe & Sheldon 2007). The credibility of food certification is important in reducing food product uncertainties and the overall cost of information asymmetries between producers and retailers in the food supply chain (Caswell 1998; Deaton 2004; Manning & Baines 2004; Anders et al. 2010). The credibility of food certification is also related to consumers’ trust and coordination in the food supply chain that has become such a crucial element of modern food markets.
Food certification and labelling have become an important attribute in convincing consumers that the food they purchase is of good quality and safe to consume. This is particularly important for organic foods (Janssen & Hamm 2012). Depending on national food regulations and standards, organic foods can be labelled as organic products if they comply with the standards for organic production, processing, labelling, and control (Janssen & Hamm 2012).
Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. The system is often further described by standards which govern labelling and claims for organic products (IFOAM—Organics International 2014). The word “organic” has been used in many different types of agricultural food products (Aarset et al. 2004). It has also led to the application of comprehensive principles that include the way people tend soils, water, plants, and animals in order to produce, prepare, and distribute food and other goods.
Halal is the term used in Islamic dietary laws in order to describe foods that are permitted or “permissible” for Muslims. While haram is the term used to describe foods that are considered forbidden or unlawful for Muslims to consume such as pork, alcohol, and meat that has not been slaughtered according to Islamic teachings (Rajagopal, Ramanan, Visvanathan & Satapathy 2011; Havinga 2010; Bonne, Vermeir & Verbeke 2009; Campbell, Murcott & Mackenzie 2010; Marzuki, Hall & Ballantine 2012; Regenstein, Chaudry & Regenstein 2003). The notions of wholesomeness, pure, and clean are known as “Halallan Toyyiban” and should surround the food supply chain with respect to the halal concept. If all the aspects do not meet the halal standard it will fall under the categories of haram and syubha (doubtful or suspect), that lie between the two extremes of halal and haram (Marzuki 2012).
For Islam, Muslim consumers need to follow a dietary prescription that is halal. Dietary laws that define foods that are “lawful” or permitted can be found in the Quran and in the Sunna. They prohibit the consumption of numerous products including alcohol, pork, blood, dead meat and meat that has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rulings (Bonne, Vermeir, Bergeaud-Blackler & Verbeke 2007; Marzuki et al. 2012; Manzouri 2013).
The Malaysian national government is responsible for regulations on all foods, drinks, and ingredients that have been locally manufactured or imported into Malaysia under the Food Act 1983 and the Food Regulations Act 1985. These regulations are to ensure that foods and drinks are protected from any illegal ingredients that can harm people’s health or safety. These regulations are implemented by the Food Safety and Quality Division (FQSD) of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia. Organic products must have obtained organic certification in order to carry the government-approved logo SOM (Skim Organik Malaysia) and display it on packaging (Department of Agriculture Malaysia 2007; Stanton 2011).
Malaysian consumers appear increasingly aware and educated about the benefits and the importance of organic foods particularly in the context of potential contributions to health and wellness (Euromonitor 2013). The presence of more organic specialist retail stores as well as more space allocation to organic food products in leading hypermarkets and supermarkets may have increased consumers’ awareness of organic food products as well (Euromonitor 2013). According to Terano, Yahya, Mohamed and Saimin (2014), Malaysian hypermarkets and supermarkets are becoming increasingly sophisticated in providing better service and products including the introduction of organic food products. Although Malaysian consumers are increasingly aware of organic products, previous studies have found that price is a major barrier in purchasing intention (Azam, Othman, Musa, Abdul Fatah & Awal 2012; Kai, Chen, Chuan, Seong & Kevin 2013). Other studies have noted that consumers with high incomes and preferences towards the perceived benefits of organic products are likely to have the highest intention to purchase (Voon, Sing & Agrawal 2011; Teng, Rezai, Mohamed & Shamsudin 2011).
There are also a growing number of quality guarantee schemes at national and international levels that offer higher food welfare and food quality, for example the Soil Association Certification is the biggest umbrella organisation for organic farming in the United Kingdom and provides the most common logo that can be found on British organic products (Baker, Thompson, Engelken & Huntley 2004; Gerrard et al. 2013; Janssen & Hamm 2012), including those exported to Malaysia. However, in the global context, the increasing number of organic brands, certification labels, and organic stores, among other features, does not appear to have increased consumers’ trust in organic products (Hamzaoui-Essoussi, Sirieix & Zahaf 2013). Several studies have found that consumers are not convinced about purchasing more organic food because of the scepticism and uncertainty towards organic logos and certification schemes (Janssen & Hamm 2012; Aertsens, Verbeke, Mondelaers & Huylenbroeck 2009; Hughner, McDonagh, Prothero, Schultz & Stanton 2007; Padel, Röcklinsberg & Schmid 2009; Lea & Worsley 2005; Aarset et al. 2004). The number of organic products that are being imported from around the world and the accompanying plethora of organic logos is leading to confusion among Asian consumers. Dardak, Abidin and Ali (2009) revealed that more than 40 per cent of the respondents in their survey of Malaysian consumers did not recognise the Malaysian Organic Certification and more than 60 per cent had never heard about it especially those who were from outside Kuala Lumpur. Stanton (2011) also found that most Malaysian consumers tend to be confused between certified and non-certified organic food products.
Despite substantial research on consumer perceptions and behaviour in relation to organic food certification, the literature with respect to retailers’ perception is extremely limited (Hamzaoui-Essoussi et al. 2013; Ellison, Duff, Wang & White 2016), especially in Malaysia. Essoussi and Zahaf (2008) emphasised that distribution, certification, and labelling are all related to consumer confidence and level of trust when consuming organic food products because consumers are more concerned on trusting the certification process. It is inadequate to focus on the wariness of consumers over guarantees of product quality/knowledge, labelling, certification, or pricing and communication strategies without also considering organic certification from the supply side. Clearly, retailers contribute at various scales and from diverse approaches to consumers’ level of knowledge of, preferences for, and level of trust in organic products (Hamzaoui-Essoussi et al. 2013). Therefore, the absence of research on retailers and organic products appears to be a significant gap in knowledge of organic certification in the food system.
The influence of religion in shaping food choice depends on the religion itself and how adherents follow religious teachings (Bonne et al. 2009). In general, there is evidence showing that religion can influence the behaviour and attitude of consumers (Delener 1994; Kanekar & Merchant 2001; Pettinger, Holdsworth & Gerber 2004; Mashitoh, Rafida & Alina 2013; Rezai, Mohamed, Shamsudin & Chiew 2009; Golnaz et al. 2010; Hasnah Hassan & Hamdan 2013), including food purchase intention (Aziz & Chok 2013; Lada, Tanakinjal & Amin 2009; Bonne et al. 2007). Many religions forbid certain foods and have specific requirements related to food that need to be followed, such as in the Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and Jewish faiths (Havinga 2010; Bonne et al. 2009; see also Chapter 2, this volume).
The halal food-processing industry in Malaysia has developed positively and the government is attempting to position the country as a global hub for halal produce. According to Said, Hassan, Musa and Rahman (2014), more than 300 certification bodies from outside Malaysia offer halal certification although Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) only recognises 15 per cent of them. Malaysia’s halal certification is accepted and recognised internationally as a result of the ISO compliance developed by the Department of Standards Malaysia. Moreover, halal certification in Malaysia not only focuses on poultry and meat but also covers other types of product such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and toiletries (Aziz & Chok 2013). Therefore, food producers and manufacturers that want to obtain halal certification in Malaysia need to meet other food standards such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Good Hygienic Practice (GHP), and ISO9000 (a family of quality management systems standards) (Aziz & Chok 2013).
All types of plants and plant products and their derivatives are halal except those that are poisonous, intoxicating, or hazardous to health. Similarly, all kinds of water and beverages are halal as drinks except those that are poisonous, intoxicating, or hazardous to health. All halal foods that are stored, transported, displayed, sold, and/or served shall be categorised and labelled halal and segregated at every stage in the supply chain (Manzouri 2013). Thus, it is important for companies that have halal certification to monitor their production and processing with Islamic compliance to meet the requirements of the Muslim market (Tieman 2011).
Halal is an important component of the food retail business (Regenstein et al. 2003). Most consumers and food industry are not aware of the range of foods that are under religious supervision. Food products cannot be visibly determined as to whether they are halal as this relates to credence attributes of products. Consumers often determine whether food products are halal by buying them from someone of known reputation, for example a Muslim butcher; seeking answers from a religious leader or organisation as to which food products are permitted; or buying foods with a halal label (Havinga 2010; Marzuki et al. 2012). However, reliance on local suppliers and religious leaders is often insufficient given the growth in the manufactured foods industry and the geographical distances between production and consumption as a result of the internationalisation of the food retail market. Consumers who currently seek halal food products are therefore often dependent on a certification or label that identifies a product as halal and that acts as a form of communication for consumers to trust (Havinga 2010). As a result, there are a growing number of halal labelled or certified food products in supermarkets around the world (Havinga 2010; Wilson & Liu 2010).
Halal certification is usually third-party certification that gives benefit to retailers and producers in terms of quality assurance to consumers and leads to worldwide acceptance of their products and services (Havinga 2010; Rajagopal et al. 2011). In addition, food certification such as halal is becoming increasingly important in order to enhance the competitiveness of retailers in the Islamic food market. Food products that have recognised halal certifications can also create opportunities for export markets (Hasnah Hassan & Hamdan 2013). Consumers can also view halal marks as a form of third-party endorsement by government and other key Islamic accreditation agencies. This certification provides a factual dimension assurance, quality warranty, or guarantee of the endorsed products and an evaluative opinion of the approval of the safety of the food for consumption (Hasnah Hassan & Hamdan 2013).
With respect to halal certification, major issues exist regarding third-party responsibility and authority for quality assessment and auditing. Internationally institutionalised quality reassurance systems are lacking and very few private and independent certification organisations are active in most European countries (Bonne & Verbeke 2008). Bonne and Verbeke (2008) stressed that trust in halal products is mainly based on personal confidence compared to institutional confidence. For example, the Belgian Muslim Executive (EMB), a representative institution for resident Muslims, has been charged with the introduction and execution of halal certification in Belgium. Yet, all Islamic requirements with halal certification in Belgium remain unclear, from breeding to retailing. Similarly, Campbell et al. (2010) found that consumers in France relied on their personal confidence in shopkeepers when buying halal meat.
Qualitative data were collected and analysed via semi-structured interviews conducted with participants that have experience and knowledge of food certification in Malaysia, and organic and halal certification in particular. Participants came from the public sector, private-sector organisations, and food retailers. On average they have been working in these organisations for more than three years. The purpose of the study was explained to participants and the author also informed them that the interview would be recorded with anonymity assured. A consent form was given to participants who agreed to participate in the interview session. The author then explained again what had been written in the consent form in order to ensure participants fully understood the purpose of the study and the contents of the consent form. Once participants gave their consent the interview commenced based on a series of questions prepared by the author.
Table 20.1 indicates the profile of participants including job position, organisation, and work experience. Interview participants were selected who represented different organisations with six participants from public organisations, three from private organisations, and three from food retail. There were 12 participants in total.
Table 20.1 Profile of participants
| Participant | Job position | Organisation | Work experience (in years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Director | Public | 3 |
| 2 | Assistant Officer | Public | 6 |
| 3 | Assistant Director | Public | 8 |
| 4 | Assistant Director | Public | 6 |
| 5 | Director | Private | 16 |
| 6 | Assistant Director | Public | 4 |
| 7 | Executive Officer | Public | 3 |
| 8 | Project Coordinator | Private | 10 |
| 9 | Chairperson | Private | 12 |
| 10 | Manager | Food Retail | 6 |
| 11 | General Manager | Food Retail | 5 |
| 12 | Senior Manager | Food Retail | 10 |
The interview session initially covered the participants’ understanding of organic and halal certification including its importance in a food supply chain context. The discussions then went more in-depth by covering the reliability and the implications of organic and halal certification on the organic and halal food products in the Malaysian market. Interviews were conducted in either Bahasa or English. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed. For the data extraction, the author analysed the data by reading all the transcripts and identifying any issues relating to this study. To ensure all the transcriptions have been check thoroughly, repeated readings were performed in order to avoid any miscoding. The data collected were extracted manually under thematic headings and afterwards were analysed by using thematic analysis. A list of coded categories was drawn up and three main categories were organised for thematic analysis. Two common themes were identified among the participants interviewed: organic and halal certification attributes that signify the organic and halal food products; and organic and halal certification issues. All the relevant keywords that were transcribed from the data were carefully selected and positioned under related categories.
The interview began on the topic of the definition of organic and halal and this led to a more detailed discussion on the concept, such as certification process, standards, benefits of organic and halal food products. Indeed, the majority of participants from public, private organisations, and food retail defined the basic meanings of organic and halal food according to their understanding.
Organic food is related to the plants or green foods that being farmed without using any chemical substance. Organic food is produced naturally and there is no other chemical substance used during the process of planting. Biological control is frequently used together with the natural fertiliser that has no harm from any chemical substance. (Director of Quality Control, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
The concept of halal certification must be clean, pure and safe. As a certification body, these elements need to be meet in order to obtain halal certification. Any material of food products that can harmful consumers health will not be certified halal even the material is halal. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
The credibility of the product is very important especially for products that claim organic, Fair Trade, sustainable, or halal status. The information asymmetries of credence products are increasing and can lead to unnecessary or inappropriate behaviours in the food supply chain (Anders et al. 2010). From the interviews, the participants indicated that the purpose of food certification, such as organic and halal, is to differentiate between certified and non-certified products. In addition, organic and halal certification also ensures the credibility of the product as being of good quality and the consumers being able to trust such products when purchasing.
The difference between organic and non-organic product can be determined by the logo itself. If they already have the organic certification, the product that they sell definitely has the logo or logo sticker of SOM (Skim Organik Malaysia). The logo contains the reference number of the certificate for the products. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
Even the food products was 100 per cent safe, it is still not to be considered as halal if the food products does not meet halal principles. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
Participants that are expert on halal certification commented that certification in Malaysia has positively impacted manufacturers’ sales when their products carry halal certification. The participants explained that the majority of consumers in Malaysia are Muslim and that consumers tend to perceive halal certification as more credible compared to other products that are not halal certified even if the products claim organic status. In addition, one food retailing participant agreed that halal certification was a push factor for consumers to purchase products at retail outlets.
For me, it really helps. Why? We conducted a random survey with manufacturer to know the difference before and after they obtain halal certification. From the results, the manufacturer explained that there is a significant difference in sales after obtaining halal certification. Consumers everyday talk about halal product and halal premises. Therefore, we can see how the manufacturers and consumers demand halal product. It does not matter if the products can heal any diseases or declared as organic, [without halal status] consumers will be doubtful to consume it. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
We have halal certification, as Muslim population in Malaysia is 66 per cent of total population. Although halal certification is a voluntary basis, the certification has become a compulsory to manufacturers including to our retail stores because halal certification is considered a push factor of consumers. So, the products need to have halal certification when listing in our retail stores. (Manager, food retail) (Translated from Bahasa)
Participants argued that products in food retailing need to have certification as it shows that the products have met the requirements of food standards. Most of the participants explained that organic and halal food certification are used not only to determine the quality and safety of the product but also to gain consumer trust.
Certification of course is something [that] is a sign of confidence to give to the customers because there have been many products who claim to be organic but without any certification. But again is still very subjective to say that those products are not organic just because they do not have a certification because they probably not going through the process of certification. So right now I think in Malaysia itself certified organic food or vegetables or for that matters it still very limited where else there are also some range of imported organic products from Australia, from New Zealand and so on. So those are bit of mixture of products that we can find in the market today. (General Manager, food retail)
The consumers are curious as to the authenticity of halal logo in Malaysia. Actually, the food products need to be halal certified before can use the halal logo. Then, the logo and labelling must displayed on the box along with safety features and each logo must have the reference number. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
A majority of the participants suggested that large numbers of different organic and halal certifications in food retail can confuse consumers and affect their purchasing decisions.
Sometimes, it does create a doubtful sense. We do import fresh organic products and these are repackaged by a company located in Malaysia. It means the product has been imported from the countries that declare it as organic. So, it does affect consumer buying decisions. Educated people probably know and understand about food certification but for local consumers, they will feel more confidence towards local product. To some extent the influence is based on consumer education. (Assistant Officer, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
I cannot deny that consumers are still confused with halal logo especially from abroad. However, we at JAKIM only recognise 73 certification bodies from abroad. We recognise these certification bodies based on their application and they need to be audited before we can recognise them as halal certification bodies. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
Participants also agreed that food quality and safety can influence purchasing decisions. They pointed out that organic and halal certification can influence consumer decision-making if the product is perceived to have high quality and safety attributes. They stated that consumers are more concerned with the use of pesticides in supermarket food products than other safety dimensions.
With organic certification, consumers that are safety-conscious are more confident towards organic products as they know the organic product is high quality. So they will definitely have confidence on the quality of organic product and understand how harmful the pesticide is and so forth. That is why they choose organic products compared to the others. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
Halal certification has huge influence on consumers’ purchasing decision because they consider halal certification to be their main reference to purchase the food products. It is important for food products to carry halal certification even though the food products have other food certifications such as GMO [genetically modified organism] and GMP [Good Manufacturing Practice]. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
In order to maintain the reliability of the product, traceability is regarded as essential in organic and halal certification systems and has become one of the most important requirements for food certification programmes and monitoring of the food supply chain.
The purpose of organic certification is to ensure the products or the outcome is originally organic and if anything happens, we can trace it back. It means that products can be traced. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
It is for traceability. This helps consumers verify the halal status of food products by visit our website directory. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
During the interviews, the participants were asked whether there are any issues with organic and halal certification. The participants from public organisations explained there are several cases. In addition, participants from food retailers explained that the issues of misconduct and misuse were a concern to retailers and consumers.
I think it is a concern not only for retailer like us but also for consumers. They will not know which is genuine certification body and which is not. In the end, it creates confusion and it is also unfair for genuine suppliers because consumers are not sure who is the real supplier. So, I think that it has to be controlled by the government. (General Manager, food retail) (Translated from Bahasa)
The issue will occur as halal certification have been forged. It is not difficult for us to detect any forgery with Malaysian halal certification compared to other countries. However, we have a good relationship with the 73 Islamic certification bodies from abroad and if there any issues occurred regarding halal certification we can verify with them. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
On the consumer side, lack of knowledge and awareness became an issue or barrier with respect to organic and halal food products. The participants explained that the reason consumers have a lack of knowledge and awareness is because they tend not to read the label and some of them make many assumptions towards organic and halal certification.
They just buy it without asking about the certification and just because it is written organic. Some of the products are not organic but they do not read the label. They did not know that, and you will be surprised the people who sell it. They do not know that it is actually natural and not organic. For example, tin of oat milk, they say it is organic, the truth is the oat is organic but the rest is not organic. People think it is organic because it is in organic shop and sometime the manufacturers also put the word organic although it is not organic. So the awareness is not so much there. It is important to have the certification for dried goods and processed goods. (Project Organic Coordinator, private organisation)
At consumers’ level, they do not understand the halal certification. As a result, they make many assumptions towards halal certification. It shows that consumers have a lack of knowledge. Similar to new manufacturers that also do not understand and are not well prepared to comply with halal procedures. (Assistant Director, public organisation) (Translated from Bahasa)
The importance of organic and halal certification on food product attributes is to indicate the safety and the quality of food products. It is important for food products that claim to be organic or halal to carry a valid certification to indicate the food products comply with the food standards. During the interview most of the participants agreed that carrying the organic and halal certification determined the quality and the safety of the organic and halal food products. This is also supported by Prabhakar, Sano and Srivastava (2010), who note that the implementation of food certification is applicable to a wide range of general food types by covering all aspects in the food supply chain system such as food production, processing, transportation, and retailing.
The concept of food certification is to protect consumers when purchasing the food products. In the case of organic food products certification not only exists to protect consumers but also to gain their trust and increase their confidence in the product. The interviews suggest that organic food certification helps gain consumer trust as well as convince them that organic food products meet the requirements of food standards. Voon et al. (2011) and Liang (2016), in their investigation of purchasing organic food products, reiterated the importance of organic certification in the context of trustworthiness as consumers or retailers cannot directly evaluate organic production.
This research suggests that having a credible organic and halal certification is important for trust in food products that focus on safety and quality. Participants from food retail believed that certification is a channel to reduce the information asymmetries of organic and halal food products. Liang (2016) claimed that the mechanisms of the quality assurance such as certification and labelling can reduce information asymmetry issues. Furthermore, interview participants believed that traceability is one of the purposes of organic and halal certification so as to be able to monitor the food supply chain. This is an increasingly important issue. Prabhakar et al. (2010) noted that food safety in Asian countries such as India, China, Korea, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand has become a significant issue due to the inappropriate use of chemical substances and pesticides in farming that results in adverse chemicals being found in food products.
In Malaysia, halal certification is considered to have a huge influence on consumers’ behaviour because the majority of consumers in Malaysia are Muslim. This means that food products need to have halal certification even if the food product is organic. One of the participants from food retailing believed that one push factor of Malaysian consumers when buying organic and other food products is halal certification. This finding is supported by Marzuki (2012) who found Malaysian restaurant managers’ expectations towards halal certification are very important to Muslim consumers as well as to non-Muslim consumer acceptance (see also Marzuki et al. 2012).
This research has found that there are several issues related to organic and halal certification in Malaysia. The findings of this study indicate some Malaysian producers claim their food products are organic without providing the certification and misuse the organic logo by putting it on food products that are not organic. Indeed, food retailers have expressed their concerns on the misconduct and misuse of organic certification and logo. Marzuki (2012) also noted some concerns of other respondents with respect to halal certification claims. These concerns may also be reflective of consumer anxiety over the sheer number of different organic and halal certifications.
Although both these food certifications focus on different food market segments they share similar values that can improve the assurance quality scheme system and increase the efficiency of food supply chain particularly in Malaysian food retailing. Technically, the purpose of halal and organic certification is to ensure the food safety and quality of food products but both of these food certifications have been perceived to have added value that not only focus on food safety but also on environmental and social issues including the relationship between the halal and organic concepts. For example, Izberk-Bilgin and Nakata (2016) also suggest that the halal concept is related to the issues of organic, fair trade, animal welfare, and ecological economics.
Based on the findings, organic food products and certification in Malaysia have several issues that need to be addressed in order to ensure the credibility of Malaysian organic certification and to increase the purchasing by Malaysian consumers of organic food products. As halal is also highly regarded by Malaysian consumers when making purchasing decisions Ali and Suleiman (2016) suggest that halal and organic can be combined and develop new brand labels, for example eco-halal, green-halal, and halal-organic. This could be a new initiative development of sustainable programmes as well as to stimulate the supply and demand for halal and organic food products in Malaysia food retailing. This is also supported by Rezai, Mohamed and Shamsudin’s (2015) study on Malaysian food retailing that found that the environment has a strong relationship with halal food products and is also considered a vital segment for halal in relation to sustainable development in agriculture.
In conclusion, organic and halal certification are perceived to be important in Malaysian food retailing. The findings of this study have suggested that the government, producers, manufacturers, and food retailers need to take responsibility by working together in order to maintain the credibility of organic and halal certification as well as to increase the awareness and knowledge of consumers towards organic and halal certification. In addition, Malaysian enforcement measures need to be more efficient when monitoring food products that claim organic and halal status although there are more issues related to organic certification than halal certification. Most importantly, credible quality assurance schemes help give peace of mind to consumers when they are buying food products.
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