The Influence of Halal Awareness on Halal Food and Beverage Consumption among University Students

Introduction

The globalization of the food industry has intensified concerns regarding halal compliance, particularly in Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia (1,2). Although Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population, awareness and consistent adherence to halal-certified food and beverages among young consumers, especially university students, remain uneven (3,4). This condition highlights the importance of halal awareness, defined as individuals’ understanding and consciousness of halal principles, in shaping daily consumption behavior (5,6).

This issue is further underscored by the rapid development of halal certification systems and regulations in Indonesia. Previous studies note that despite institutional progress, challenges remain in ensuring effective implementation, standardization, and public compliance with halal certification policies (7,8). A systematic literature review also confirms that halal awareness significantly influences Muslim consumer behavior, although its strength varies depending on demographic and contextual factors (9).

Empirical evidence suggests that halal awareness and halal certification play a crucial role in shaping purchasing decisions among younger Muslim consumers. Normasyhuri et al. found that Generation Z consumers with higher awareness of halal food and certification demonstrate stronger preferences for halal-labeled products in both urban and sub-urban settings (10). These findings are particularly relevant for university students, who largely belong to this generational cohort.

From an educational perspective, academic exposure to Islamic jurisprudence may further strengthen halal awareness. Chosinawarotin and Nurlaily reported that the implementation of fiqh learning enhances students’ understanding and engagement with halal-related practices, including participation in halal-oriented economic activities (11). This suggests that students enrolled in Islamic-based academic programs may possess higher baseline halal knowledge, making them a relevant population for examining the relationship between halal awareness and consumption behavior.

Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, halal awareness can be conceptualized as a cognitive factor that shapes individual attitudes and behavioral intentions, which subsequently influence actual consumption behavior. In the context of Muslim consumers, higher awareness of halal principles is expected to strengthen commitment to halal-compliant consumption practices. Therefore, this study examines the influence of halal awareness on halal food and beverage consumption among undergraduate students enrolled in an Islamic-based academic program, namely the Sharia Economic Law Program at UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta.

Methodology

Study Design and Rationale

This study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to examine the relationship between halal awareness and halal consumption behavior among university students. A cross-sectional design is particularly suitable for behavioral research because it enables researchers to capture patterns of attitudes and behaviors at a single point in time while allowing for statistical testing of relationships between variables (12). This approach has been widely used in studies examining consumer behavior, including halal-related decision-making, due to its efficiency and ability to handle large samples (8).

Population, Sample Size, and Sampling

The study population comprised undergraduate students enrolled in the Sharia Economic Law (Hukum Ekonomi Syariah, HES) Program at the Faculty of Sharia, Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta. This program was intentionally selected because its curriculum includes formal instruction on Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), halal certification, and Islamic economic principles. Previous studies indicate that exposure to halal regulation and assurance systems strengthens legal awareness and application of halal principles in daily consumption (13). 

The total population consisted of approximately 1,320 active students from the 2019–2022 cohorts. A sample of 307 students was selected using proportional stratified sampling to ensure balanced representation across academic cohorts. This sampling technique is recommended in social science research to enhance representativeness, reduce sampling bias, and ensure that subgroups within the population are proportionally reflected in the sample (14).

Research Instrument

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of three main sections: demographic characteristics, halal awareness related to halal certification, and attitudes and behaviors regarding halal food and beverage consumption. The questionnaire items were developed and adapted from previous empirical studies on halal awareness, halal literacy, and Muslim consumer behavior to ensure content validity (15,16).

All responses were measured using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Prior to the main survey, a pilot test involving 20 students was conducted to evaluate item clarity, reliability, and internal consistency. The results showed Cronbach’s alpha values exceeding 0.70 for all constructs, indicating acceptable reliability and supporting the use of the instrument for further statistical analysis.

Data Collection Procedure

The survey was administered electronically and distributed through official academic channels and student organizations. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Before completing the questionnaire, respondents were informed about the objectives of the study, the confidentiality of their data, and their right to withdraw at any stage without consequences. These procedures align with ethical standards commonly applied in behavioral and consumer research involving human participants.

Data Analysis

Prior to hypothesis testing, assumption tests were conducted to ensure the suitability of parametric analysis. The results indicated that the data met the assumptions of normality and linearity required for Pearson’s correlation and simple linear regression analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 18, with a significance level set at p < 0.05

Ethical Considerations and Study Limitations

Ethical principles were observed throughout the research process, including informed consent, voluntary participation, and confidentiality of respondent data. Despite these precautions, several limitations should be acknowledged. The reliance on self-reported data may introduce response bias, and the focus on students from a single academic program may limit the generalizability of the findings. Similar limitations have been highlighted in previous halal consumer behavior research.

Results

Descriptive Statistics

A total of 307 undergraduate students participated in this study, providing an adequate sample size to represent the target population. The number of respondents was considered sufficient to support statistical analysis and to capture variations in students’ perceptions and behaviors related to halal consumption.

In terms of gender composition, female students dominated the sample, accounting for 73.6% of the respondents, while male students represented 26.4%, as summarized in Table 1.

This distribution reflects the actual demographic composition of the study program, where female enrollment tends to be higher than male enrollment. The distribution of respondents based on the year of enrollment shows a relatively balanced representation across the 2019–2022 cohorts. This balance is important to ensure that perspectives from students at different stages of academic progression are adequately captured in the analysis.

Among these cohorts, students from the 2022 intake constituted the largest proportion of respondents at 29.5%, as presented in Table 2. The higher participation from this cohort may be attributed to their greater availability and responsiveness during the data collection period, thereby contributing significantly to the overall findings of the study.

Effect of Halal Awareness on Halal Consumption

Prior to hypothesis testing, normality testing was conducted as an essential prerequisite for ensuring the validity of parametric statistical procedures, particularly in regression analysis (17). The results of the normality assessment, as summarized in Table 3, indicate that the data met the assumption of normal distribution, thereby supporting the use of parametric analysis. Subsequently, the simple linear regression results reveal a significant positive relationship between halal awareness and halal food and beverage consumption behavior. As presented in Table 4, halal awareness explains 47.6% of the variance in consumption behavior (R² = 0.476), indicating a substantial explanatory power. Moreover, the t-test results confirm that halal awareness is a statistically significant predictor of halal consumption behavior (t = 16.652, p < 0.001), demonstrating that higher levels of halal awareness are associated with increased adherence to halal food and beverage consumption.

Discussion

The findings of this study demonstrate that halal awareness plays a significant role in shaping halal consumption behavior among university students. The strong positive relationship supports consumer behavior theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, which posit that awareness and knowledge influence attitudes, intentions, and subsequent behavior. However, the proportion of variance explained by halal awareness is moderate. Similar studies report that halal awareness alone does not fully explain consumption behavior, especially among younger consumers, as purchasing decisions are also shaped by product availability, price sensitivity, perceived quality, and social influence (18,19). In addition, positive attitudes toward halal labels have been shown to significantly influence purchasing decisions, indicating that awareness must be accompanied by favorable consumer attitudes and trust in certification bodies to translate into actual consumption behavior (20). This suggests that halal awareness functions as a necessary but insufficient condition for consistent halal consumption.From a practical perspective, universities and policymakers should complement awareness campaigns with structural support, such as improving access to halal-certified products and strengthening halal literacy within academic settings. For the halal industry, strategies targeting young consumers through affordable, clearly labeled, and easily accessible halal products may enhance the translation of awareness into actual consumption behavior (21). Several limitations should be acknowledged, including the use of self-reported data and a sample restricted to a single academic program. Similar methodological limitations have been identified in previous halal consumer behavior studies (18,19). Future research should include more diverse populations and additional explanatory variables to better capture the complexity of halal consumption behavior.

Conclusion

This study confirms that halal awareness has a significant positive influence on halal consumption behavior among university students, aligning with the study’s objective to examine the role of awareness in shaping consumption decisions. The findings support behavioral theories suggesting that knowledge and awareness contribute to behavioral intentions, although awareness alone does not fully determine consumption choices.

Despite explaining a substantial proportion of variance in halal consumption, the results indicate that external factors such as product availability, affordability, and social influences also play an important role. These findings suggest that efforts to promote halal lifestyles should integrate awareness-building initiatives with structural support, including improved access to halal-certified products and supportive institutional policies.

This study is subject to limitations, including reliance on self-reported data and a sample restricted to one academic program at a single university, which may limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research is encouraged to involve more diverse student populations, incorporate additional explanatory variables, and apply longitudinal designs to better understand changes in halal consumption behavior over time.