Purpose: This study aims to explore the perceptions of Arabian Muslim consumers about halal food products, and to investigate their behaviour towards halal-labelled food products in UK mainstream supermarkets using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). The role of Islamic religiosity and consumers’ confidence regarding the halal logo as moderating factors is investigated. Design/methodology/approach: Cross-sectional data were collected through distributed 400 questionnaires in Scotland, mainly to Muslim consumers who come from different Arabian countries and are currently living in Scotland. Findings: The results show that the TPB is a valid model for predicting Muslim consumers’ intention to purchase halal-labelled food products. The findings reveal that for consumers with high and low Islamic religiosity, subjective norms are the most influential determinants of their intention to purchase halal-labelled food products. Research limitations/implications: Limitations include the focus on only Arabian Muslim consumers within an ethnic minority population living in Scotland, and the use of convenience and snowball sampling. Practical implications: The findings could be useful for halal industry food makers to better serve their customers through sophisticated marketing strategies. Originality/value: This study extends understanding of consumers’ halal-labelled food purchasing behaviour using TPB to determining the rationales for purchasing halal foods from mainstream UK supermarkets. Unlike others studies, this study used Islamic religiosity instead of self-identity (being a Muslim) as a moderating factor.

Introduction

Islam is the third religion of the monotheistic Abrahamic faiths. Its adherents constitute about 25% of the world’s population, with 52% of Muslims under the age of 24, and, thus, are a significant and huge potential market (Auda, 2008; Wilson, et al., 2013; Wilson, 2014b). In 2011, the Pew Research Centre estimated that Europe’s Muslim population would grow from 44.1 million in 2010 to 58.2 million in 2030. The presence of Muslims in Europe goes back to Ottoman rule, not only to recent immigration (Tottoli, 2015). According to the 2011 census in the UK, the Muslim population has grown from 1.65 million (2.7%) in 2001 to 2.78 million (4.4%). The report indicates that the vast majority of Muslims in the UK live in England, where they form 5.02% of the population (2,660,116); in Scotland, they represent 1.45% (76,737); in Wales, 1.50% (45,950); and in Northern Ireland, 0.21% (3,832). Generally, the Muslim population rate is almost increasing 10 times faster than the non-Muslim population (Wilson, 2014c). Muslims have to follow God’s rules, which are stated in Islamic law, or Shari’ah. The Qur’an, the Holy Book revealed by Allah to the last Prophet and Messenger Muhammad [SAAS], and Sunnah, the teaching, guidance and practice of Islam’s prophet Muhammad as recorded in the book of Hadith, are the primary sources of Shari’ah, governing the lives and behaviour of Muslims. In addition, Muslims consider these sources the embodiment of the will of God (Auda, 2008; Alserhan, 2011; Mukhtar and Butt, 2012). Thus, Muslims have to follow a set of Islamic dietary prescriptions (halal food) that stem from the Five Pillars of Islam (Shahadah, Salat, Sawm, Zakah and Sadaqah of ‘Id al-Fitr, and Hajj) – the faith’s basic foundational keys that are intended to ensure Muslim’s well-being. Abundant evidence has proved that religion plays a curial and influential role in shaping food choices in societies (Essoo and Dibb, 2004; Mokhlis, 2009a, 2009b), particularly food shopping, food preparation and eating habits (Bonne et al., 2007; Bonne and Verbeke, 2008; Flogel, 2010). It is apparent, that for many people the practice of their dietary habits and preferences is a reflection of their own religious convictions and religious affiliation (Bonne et al., 2007; Lada et al., 2010; Flogel, 2010; Wilson and Liu, 2011).