Purpose The purpose of this study is to systematically identify, prioritize and analyze the cause-and-effect relationships among the key barriers to blockchain integration within Indonesia’s halal sustainable meat supply chains. Design/methodology/approach This study applies an intuitionistic fuzzy analytic hierarchy process–technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution analysis–decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (IF-AHP–TOPSIS–DEMATEL) framework to analyze blockchain adoption barriers in halal meat supply chains, identifying, weighting, ranking and mapping interrelationships to prioritize critical challenges and develop effective strategic solutions. Findings The study identifies financial constraints (high investment and maintenance costs) as the most critical barriers, followed by insufficient blockchain literacy and a lack of globally accepted halal certifiers. The DEMATEL analysis reveals that these, along with cultural resistance and unclear data policies, act as fundamental “cause” barriers that drive dependent “effect” barriers such as system incompatibility and perceived hacking risks. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on the Indonesian context, though the methodological framework can be adapted elsewhere. The study offers crucial practical implications for managers and policymakers, recommending collaborative financing models, phased pilot projects, targeted training and the development of standardized halal data protocols to mitigate the root cause barriers. Originality/value This study contributes by applying a novel hybrid IF-AHP–TOPSIS–DEMATEL framework to a new research frontier: the integration of blockchain with halal and sustainability imperatives in Indonesia’s major Muslim-majority economy. The analysis moves beyond listing barriers to uncover their causal interdependencies, offering stakeholders a strategic diagnostic tool. By explicitly linking cybersecurity and data policy to halal sustainability, the work adds important theoretical and practical dimensions to the discourse.
Masudin et al. (Wed,) studied this question.