A multi-method examination of barriers to traceability in Industry 5.0-enabled digital food supply chains

Purpose Recent worldwide developments have altered how businesses operate. As a result, when making business decisions, the emphasis for many industries has shifted towards digital adoption to ensure sustainability, and the food supply chain is no exception. However, a substantial gap exists in assessing the barriers to a digitised food supply chain enabled by Industry 5.0 technologies. This study strives to bridge the gap by identifying and assessing the barriers to improved traceability. Design/methodology/approach For this study, a mixed method approach was used encompassing both qualitative and quantitative techniques, including an online survey, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and the fuzzy evidential reasoning approach (FERA). The literature survey and expert opinion first yielded a list of 18 barriers, which were subsequently examined using EFA. As a result, four barriers were removed. The remaining 14 barriers were then assessed using FERA from the perspectives of the Technology, Organisation and Environment (TOE) framework. Further, a sensitivity analysis was performed to test the model’s reliability. Findings The present study resulted in the prioritisation of barriers from the TOE perspective. According to the findings, the top three barriers that impede the traceability of Industry 5.0-enabled digital food supply chains are Limited Digital and Physical Infrastructure, Inadequate Capital Investment, and the Intricate Supply Chain Framework. Research limitations/implications The findings from this research will prove valuable for decision-makers, practitioners and policymakers in developing methods for improving traceability within the digital food supply chain. Concerned stakeholders may use the findings to identify and take immediate action for better decision-making. Originality/value This study’s originality lies in its position as one of the first to identify and examine the challenges to better traceability in an Industry 5.0-enabled digital food supply chain. It also adds value by broadening the TOE framework’s scope in the Industry 5.0-enabled digital food supply chain context.