Consumer Trust in Halal Certification: Integrating Halal Food Fraud, Enforcement Effectiveness and Consumer Awareness Through Commitment–Trust Theory

Abstract

The integrity of halal certification plays a critical role in maintaining Muslim consumer confidence and ensuring compliance with Islamic dietary principles. However, recurring incidents of halal food fraud have raised growing concerns regarding the credibility of halal certification systems, particularly in Malaysia, which is widely recognised as a global leader in the halal industry. While previous studies have examined halal fraud, regulatory enforcement, and consumer awareness separately, limited research has integrated these elements within a unified theoretical framework explaining how consumer trust in halal certification is formed and sustained. To address this gap, this conceptual paper develops an integrated trust framework grounded in the Commitment–Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing. Through a systematic review and synthesis of existing literature, the study proposes a conceptual model explaining how halal food fraud acts as a trust erosion mechanism, enforcement agency effectiveness functions as a trust restoration mechanism, and consumer awareness contributes to trust resilience within halal certification systems. Three theoretical propositions are developed linking these governance factors to consumer trust in halal certification. This study contributes to the halal governance and consumer trust literature by extending the Commitment–Trust Theory into the context of institutional halal certification and by integrating fraud exposure, enforcement effectiveness, and consumer awareness within a single conceptual framework. The proposed model provides a foundation for future empirical research and offers practical insights for policymakers, certification bodies, and regulatory agencies seeking to strengthen halal integrity and restore public confidence in halal certification systems.