An Exploratory Study for Measuring Consumers Awareness and Perceptions Towards Halal Food in Pakistan

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to measure the awareness and perception of halal food in Pakistan which is predominantly a Muslim country. Design/methodology/approach – The study is exploratory in nature and cross sectional data has been obtained from 528 respondents belonging to two major clusters-university students and corporate sector. Empirical data was collected through survey methodology. Three statistical tools have been used for data analysis; (a) Cronbach's alpha; (b) Confirmatory Factor Analysis and ; (c) Pearson product correlation matrix. Findings – The author purports that; (a) religion is the omnipotent source of religious beliefs for Muslims Consumers; (b) Beliefs are closely knitted with religious commitment; (c) People who are highly religious may not necessarily have high level of awareness about halal food; (d) Attitude towards halal food is closely akin to the notion of beliefs; (e) The dogma of identity is more linked with intrinsic rather than extrinsic forces. Research limitations/implications – The study focuses on two major clusters and the data is obtained through cluster sampling. The researcher measures general awareness and perceptions of consumers regarding halal food. However further research is suggested to nudge deeply in the concept of halal logo and dimension of halal brand amongst the Muslim consumers. Practical implications- Although Pakistani is a by and large a Muslim country but there is very little awareness regarding Halal food unlike other Muslim states such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The country has no formal Halal certification issuing body. The findings of this research will be of great significance to the marketers and food manufactures in Pakistan who will find new avenues to delve into halal food certification business, and endeavor into Muslim markets as the producers of certified halal food. Originality/value – Although Islamic marketing is the new buzz word but religion and consumer behavior largely remains untapped by academic researchers. There is lack of empirically tested knowledge about the awareness and perceptions towards Halal foods among Pakistani consumers. The research will be a valuable addition in propagation of knowledge on the subject area