Purpose This paper identifies and prioritises the prominent barriers to blockchain technology (BCT) adoption in food supply chains (FSCs) and the interrelationships among these barriers and demonstrates how integrating BCT can enhance sustainability, traceability, transparency and reliability. Design/methodology/approach A pairwise comparison survey of academics and practitioners with expertise in FSCs/BCT was conducted, then application of the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique modelled and quantified the causal links between the barriers. DEMATEL's ability to identify interdependencies and feedback loops provided a detailed understanding of how variables interact in a cause-and-effect network. Findings Key barriers to the adoption of BCT in FSCs included collaboration, coordination and communication in FSCs, the cost of BCT implementation and BCT customisation costs, all of which were interrelated and affected the availability of tools and standards. Overall, the cost of bespoke design and customisation of BCT systems was perceived as the most influential barrier, while lack of access to legal permissions for cryptocurrency use was considered to have the least impact. Practical implications Successful BCT adoption depends on addressing implementation costs, enhancing collaboration, coordination and communication in FSCs and developing robust tools and standards that are accepted by all stakeholders. Originality/value This study explores the adoption of BCT in FSCs using data from two key stakeholder groups: academics and practitioners, demonstrating how coupling rough set theory with DEMATEL reduces subjectivity and creating a robust framework for mapping causal relationships among influencing barriers. Moreover, the work bridges to future research by identifying further areas for research.
Damavandi et al. (2025) studied this question.