Halal-organic meat: a successful business and humanitarian model

The study addresses how self-determination needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness), religiosity, and the perceived health benefits of halal-organic meat influence consumer satisfaction and continuance of halal-organic meat-purchasing behavior. It further examines how satisfaction and continuance behavior affect healthy life expectancy, health- and food-related quality of life (HRQoL and FRQoL), and tranquility of life. In Bangladesh, most meat is assumed halal, and organic vendors exist, yet no business model explicitly combines halal and organic. The research fills gaps by integrating halal and organic domains, testing self-determination need theory in this context, and exploring under-studied outcomes (life expectancy, HRQoL/FRQoL, tranquility). Research questions: (1) How do self-determination needs, religiosity, and halal-organic meats’ health benefits influence consumer satisfaction and meat-purchasing behavior? (2) How do satisfaction and meat-purchasing behavior affect life expectancy, health- and food-related quality, and tranquility of life?

Halal meat is defined by Islamic dietary law and associated with hygiene, cleanliness, quality, and potentially longer, healthier life. Organic meat, per Codex Alimentarius, comes from systems without undue antibiotics/hormones, with natural behaviors and organic feed, perceived safe, nutritious, and eco-friendly. Combining both yields the proposed halal-organic concept: meat that is simultaneously organic (natural, safe, pure) and halal (religiously compliant, fresh, tender), addressing Bangladesh’s market dominated by conventional meat. Self-determination need theory posits autonomy, competence, and relatedness as innate needs that guide behavior; limited prior work in food contexts suggests these needs relate to healthy and sustainable eating. Literature on religiosity shows mixed effects on halal purchase intentions; its role in organic purchasing is understudied. Health benefits drive organic and halal purchases in prior studies. The study hypothesizes positive direct effects of autonomy, competence, relatedness, religiosity, and perceived halal-organic health benefits on satisfaction and continuance behavior; satisfaction on continuance; and continuance on healthy life expectancy, HRQoL/FRQoL, and tranquility. It also proposes mediating effects of continuance behavior between the five independent constructs and the three outcome constructs.

Design: Cross-sectional survey using a three-pronged questionnaire development approach (literature review, expert interviews with academics and marketers, and pilot testing) to reduce bias and ensure contextual relevance. Measures: Ten constructs measured on seven-point Likert scales (1=strongly disagree to 7=strongly agree). Items adapted from prior validated scales: Autonomy (4 items; LaCaille et al., Miketinas et al.), Competency (3; Wang et al.), Relatedness (3; Wang et al.), Religiosity (6; Nurhayati & Hendar; Haque et al.; Newaz), Halal-organic meats’ health benefits (5; Codex Alimentarius; Ambali & Bakar), Continuance behavior (5; Alalwan; Faraoni et al.; Lee et al.; Tandon et al.), Satisfaction (6; Alalwan; Anderson & Srinivasan; Shang & Wu), Healthy life expectancy (4; Tandon et al.; Alam), HRQoL/FRQoL (4; Tandon et al.), Tranquility of life (4; Richards; Ellison et al.). Sampling and data collection: Non-probability purposive sampling targeting consumers knowledgeable about halal-organic meat. Contexts: supermarkets (e.g., Shwapno, Agora, Meena Bazar), municipal/open-air markets (live organic birds slaughtered halal), individual halal butchers, and online platforms (Google Forms). Data collection period: Feb–Apr 2022. Final sample size: N=985. Demographics (Table 1) indicate majority aged 35–45, bachelor’s degree, employed in financial institutions, middle to upper-middle income, married, families of 4–5. Analysis: Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS 3.0. Reliability and validity: All constructs met thresholds (Cronbach’s alpha, rho_A, composite reliability >0.70; AVE >0.50). Discriminant validity established via Fornell-Larcker; cross-validated redundancy (Q2) >0 for endogenous constructs. Model fit: RMS theta=0.11 (<0.12). Significance assessed via bootstrapping (T>1.96; p<0.05). Mediation tested via consistent PLS bootstrapping.

• All hypothesized direct effects were significant (p<0.05):
  • Autonomy → Continuance (β=0.111, T=3.578, p=0.000); Autonomy → Satisfaction (β=0.112, T=3.888, p=0.000).
  • Competency → Continuance (β=0.219, T=5.519, p=0.000); Competency → Satisfaction (β=0.219, T=5.979, p=0.000).
  • Relatedness → Continuance (β=0.125, T=3.446, p=0.001); Relatedness → Satisfaction (β=0.253, T=6.445, p=0.000).
  • Religiosity → Continuance (β=0.139, T=3.893, p=0.000); Religiosity → Satisfaction (β=0.133, T=3.813, p=0.000).
  • Halal-organic meats’ health benefits → Continuance (β=0.156, T=4.749, p=0.000); → Satisfaction (β=0.268, T=7.867, p=0.000).
  • Satisfaction → Continuance (β=0.236, T=6.215, p=0.000).
  • Continuance → Healthy life expectancy (β=0.774, T=51.31, p=0.000); → Health- and food-related QoL (β=0.293, T=8.287, p=0.000); → Tranquility of life (β=0.260, T=7.549, p=0.000).
• Mediation: Continuance behavior significantly mediated the effects of autonomy, competency, relatedness, religiosity, and health benefits on healthy life expectancy, HRQoL/FRQoL, and tranquility (all p<0.05). Examples:
  • Autonomy → Continuance → Healthy life expectancy (β=0.115, T=3.088, p=0.002).
  • Competency → Continuance → Tranquility (β=0.075, T=4.065, p=0.000).
  • Religiosity → Continuance → HRQoL/FRQoL (β=0.051, T=2.957, p=0.003).
  • Health benefits → Continuance → Healthy life expectancy (β=0.151, T=3.424, p=0.001).
• Measurement model adequacy: All constructs reliable and valid (e.g., Satisfaction: α=0.920, CR=0.938, AVE=0.715). Predictive relevance present (e.g., Q2: Continuance=0.257; Healthy life expectancy=0.418; Satisfaction=0.285). Model fit acceptable (RMS theta=0.11).

Findings demonstrate that self-determination needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and contextual drivers (religiosity, perceived halal-organic health benefits) increase satisfaction and continuance of halal-organic meat purchasing. Satisfaction further strengthens continuance, indicating a virtuous cycle of positive experiences driving repeat behavior. Continuance behavior, in turn, is strongly associated with perceived healthy life expectancy, better health- and food-related quality of life, and greater tranquility, aligning with the dual religious and health positioning of halal-organic meat. The significant mediations show that the pathway from motivations and beliefs to life-quality outcomes operates through sustained halal-organic purchasing. The results extend self-determination theory into halal-organic food contexts and integrate religiosity and health perceptions, addressing literature gaps and illustrating the broader well-being implications of food choices.

This study introduces and empirically validates the halal-organic concept, integrating halal compliance with organic attributes, and applies self-determination need theory to explain purchasing behavior and satisfaction. It establishes that autonomy, competence, relatedness, religiosity, and perceived health benefits drive satisfaction and continuance, which subsequently enhance perceptions of healthy life expectancy, HRQoL/FRQoL, and tranquility. The work contributes new outcome constructs (HRQoL/FRQoL, tranquility) to food-purchasing research and highlights the mediating role of continuance behavior. Future research should test the model across countries and cultures, compare halal-only vs organic-only vs halal-organic contexts, and incorporate additional variables (e.g., price, trust, attitudes, certification, brand reputation, word-of-mouth, self-efficacy) and theoretical lenses (TPB, TRA, consumption value theory, S-O-R).

• Sampling: Non-probability purposive sampling in Bangladesh targeting niche consumers limits generalizability beyond the context and may introduce selection bias.
• Scope: Focused on halal-organic meat; results may differ for other product categories or broader populations (non-Muslim consumers, other countries).
• Model breadth: While comprehensive, other relevant factors (e.g., price, certification cues, trust, brand reputation, attitudes, social influence) were not included and warrant examination.
• Cross-sectional survey design restricts causal inference beyond modeled associations; longitudinal or experimental designs could strengthen causal claims.