ABSTRACT
This research focuses on the relationships between organic and halal certification in Malaysian food retailing. Organic certification is one type of food certification that is used to demonstrate product attributes in order to obtain consumer trust and also to differentiate between organic and non-organic products. Halal certification is to ensure the food is permitted or “permissible” for Muslims. The primary purpose of halal and organic certification is to provide greater information and certainty to consumers as to the origins and nature of food as well as to differentiate the product from those that do not fulfil certification requirements. Certification also provides opportunities for retailers to develop operational and product differentiation strategies focusing on other qualities instead of pricing such as convenience, providing variety, consistency, quality, and safety. The overwhelming majority of studies on organic and halal certification focus on consumer and producer perception rather than the retailer, yet retailers contribute to consumer knowledge of, preferences for, as well as trust/mistrust in organic and halal products, as well as the overall availability of organic and halal foods in the food supply chain. This research found that organic certification attributes are related to trust, credibility, food safety and quality, environment and traceability. Participants also noted that halal certifications have their importance in determining the safety and quality of food products. In Malaysia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, halal certification is perceived to be the most important assurance. However, this research also suggested that organic certification is significant in its own right for some markets while there are potential overlaps between different certifications.
