| Abstrakt: |
Purpose: This present study aims to investigate the mediating effect of halal label perceived importance (HPI) on buying intention (BI) of small and medium enterprises (SME) food products in a Muslim-majority environment by involving attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) as the antecedents. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered survey was conducted with 437 Muslim respondents who shop at an SME shopping center. Subsequently, the structural equation modeling technique was used to test the hypotheses. Findings: The findings showed that ATT and PBC significantly influence the BI of halal-labeled food products. On the other hand, HPI partially mediates the relationship between ATT, PBC and BI. Practical implications: The results provided insights that SME actors will be benefited from selling halal-labeled products as the label amplifies Muslim consumers’ BI. Moreover, the government must intensify the halal campaign to strengthen public awareness and social pressure on purchasing halal-labeled brands. Social implications: As SMEs are the major contributor to the national economy, this sector’s business growth will benefit the Indonesian people. Moreover, as the most Muslim-populated country, halal product development will contribute significantly to the whole national economy. Originality/value: This study provides empirical evidence on the halal labeling mediation role in the relationship between consumer motivation and halal buying intention in a major Muslim setting. |
