Fake: The Rise of Food Fraud in the Halal Supply Chain

Abstract

We live in increasingly challenging economic times, and the concomitant uncertainty associated with this state within the food industry has led to an emergence of unscrupulous suppliers and supply chain actors committing Halal food fraud. As Halal food supply chains become increasingly complex and global and as the sector continues to develop and grow, more significant opportunities arise for unprincipled practice. Further, catering to rising consumption and the resultant increased demand for Halal products and services means consumers in Halal supply chains are particularly vulnerable to fraud, adulteration and unwitting contamination as global demand outstrips supply. Certification and its associated labelling of Halal food products alone will no longer engender complete consumer confidence, particularly as consumers become better acquainted with the rising opportunities for food fraud, false advertising, and misleading conduct. This report is based on recognizing the religious importance of Halal food to Muslims and how food integrity is pivotal in the daily observance of Islamic mores. It examines how vulnerabilities in global supply chains can arise and be exploited to intentionally deceive and unknowingly contaminate food products consumed by devoted Muslims. A vital industry issue of concern to this discussion is the increasing importance of compliance, transparency, and traceability, combined with other risk mitigation approaches needed within Halal food supply chains to ensure product provenance. This review also examines the potential human capability development interventions required to strengthen further supply chain actors' competence and the consumer awareness needed to provide trust and confidence in the Halal food eco-system.