Purchasing Decisions among Muslim Consumers of Processed Halal Food Products

Abstract

Muslim consumers nowadays are aware of the ingredients in foods thus making them more selective in choosing foods that they want to purchase and consume. Halal certification from an authorized body is important to verify that the processed food products are genuinely halal. The objective of this study is to investigate the purchasing decision factors among Muslim consumers of processed food products. Studied variables are characteristics of processed food products, awareness of halal labeling and knowledge on halal processed food products. A set of 7-point Likert scale questionnaires was designed and distributed conveniently to 400 Muslim consumers that had just finished with shopping at the respective supermarkets. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 13 for descriptive statistics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, multiple regressions, and also cross-tabulation analysis. Knowledge (familiarity) of the processed foods was identified as the most influential factor in determining the purchasing decision among Muslim consumers.

Keywords:

• processed food products
• awareness
• halal labeling
• knowledge
• Muslim consumers