Understanding Halal Food Brand Equity in Malaysia: The Limited Moderating Role of Supply Chain Image Integrity

Increasingly, customers believe that positive credibility and recognition are crucial to improving the reputation of halal cuisine. This study aims to examine the role of Supply Chain Image Integrity (SCII) in the development of Halal Brand Equity, with a particular focus on whether SCII moderates the relationship between the dimension of Customer-Based Halal Brand Equity (CBHBE)— namely Halal Brand Awareness, Halal Perceived Quality, Halal Brand Association, and Halal Brand Loyalty—and Halal Food Brand Equity. A quantitative survey was conducted among Malaysian Muslim consumers of halal food products. Data from 395 respondents collected from a cross-sectional survey conducted during the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Show (MAHA) 2024 held in the state of Selangor. The instrument was measured using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that Halal Brand Awareness, Halal Brand Association, Halal Perceived Quality and Halal Brand Loyalty significantly predict Halal Brand Equity. Contrary to expectations, SCII did not significantly moderate the relationship between any CBHBE dimension and halal food brand equity. This suggests that consumers perceive supply chain integrity as a baseline requirement of halal certification rather than a conditional factor that strengthens brand equity.