The halal label polemic has become a topic of discussion among netizens. Some food and beverage products have gone viral because they have been proven to use fake halal labels, even though they have not gone through the official certification process from the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH). This case has caused unrest among Muslim consumers because they are worried about non-halal products.
As the largest Muslim country in the world, halal products are very important to practice religion according to its sharia. Consumer trust is the top priority for buying products. Suspicions arising in consumers will affect the national economy. The rise of cases of products that claim to be labeled halal, but in fact do not have official certification shows the importance of the role of technology to track the halalness of products, such as Halal Traceability.
Halal Traceability is a website-based platform with blockchain technology to track the halal status of products. All information from the production process, raw material sources, to final processing, can be accessed directly by consumers via cellphones. The process of tracking the halalness of products using Halal Traceability is very easy and practical. For example, a processed chicken meat product from local MSMEs can be tracked for halalness starting from the slaughtering process at a halal-certified slaughterhouse (RPH), processing at a halal food factory, to the final packaging.
Consumers only need to access the official Halal Traceability page at https://trace.halal.go.id. Then, scan the QR code printed on the product packaging through a cellphone camera or other device. Then, all detailed information related to the production process starting from the slaughtering process at the slaughterhouse (RPH), product processing, supply of raw materials, to the final production, will be displayed transparently.
This platform was widely introduced by Bank Indonesia, at the Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) 2024, on October 30. Halal Traceability is the result of collaboration between the Halal Product Guarantee Agency (BPJPH) and Bank Indonesia. The technology aims to increase consumer confidence in halal products, and encourage the growth of the Islamic economy in Indonesia. Considering that Muslim consumer spending is increasing from year to year.
Based on the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2023 report, Muslim consumer spending on food increased 9.6% in 2022 to US$1.4 trillion, up from US$1.28 trillion in 2021. Then, Muslim consumer spending on halal products is projected to reach US$2.4 trillion by 2024. This is likely to increase by 2025.
Digitalization in the Islamic economic sector is very important to advance the national economy, especially in halal food products. With the presence of Halal Traceability, Indonesian halal products will also have stronger competitiveness in the international market. Although Indonesian halal products, such as processed food and cosmetics, have successfully penetrated the markets of countries, such as Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, the largest halal exporter countries are still held by non-Muslim majority countries.
With Halal Traceability, export opportunities for halal-verified local products will be greater. Global consumers will no longer doubt the halalness of Indonesian products. Simply access the page https://trace.halal.go.id, global consumers will immediately know all information related to the product. This technology is not only beneficial for consumers, businesses and MSMEs can improve business quality, expand market share, and prepare their halal products to be more easily accepted in the global market.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
