Generation Z Halal Consumption: A Systematic Review of the Food and Cosmetics Sectors

Abstract

This study compares the drivers of halal consumption among Generation Z in the halal food and halal cosmetics sectors. A systematic narrative review was conducted using PRISMA 2020 guidance. Articles published between 2021 and June 2026 were identified through structured searches, screened against predefined criteria, and synthesized using a consumer behavior framework covering personal, social, cultural, and psychological factors. Twenty empirical studies formed the comparative corpus. The review shows that religiosity, halal awareness, and social influence are shared drivers, but their pathways differ by product category. In halal food, halal awareness, knowledge, health and safety considerations, habitual consumption, and subjective norms are relatively prominent; certification often functions as a basic assurance rather than a distinctive brand cue in Muslim-majority settings. In halal cosmetics, religiosity more frequently operates through awareness and attitudes, while product knowledge, brand image, product quality, influencer credibility, electronic word of mouth, and digital trust gain greater salience because ingredients are less observable and cosmetics carry stronger symbolic and identity meanings. Digital platforms mainly facilitate access and information transparency for food, whereas they also perform persuasive and identity-building functions for cosmetics. The study contributes a sector-sensitive consumer behavior explanation and implies that halal marketing should avoid a uniform strategy across product categories.