Business Ethics in Organic Agri-Food Supply Chains: Opportunities and Challenges of Digital Product Traceability

Abstract

The growing market for organic agricultural products has intensified attention to sustainability, transparency, and business ethics within agri-food supply chains. Digital product traceability is increasingly recognized as a strategic instrument to address these demands. However, existing studies remain fragmented and provide limited systematic synthesis of the opportunities and challenges of digital traceability from a business ethics perspective, particularly in organic agri-food supply chains involving smallholder farmers. This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the opportunities and challenges of implementing digital product traceability in support of business ethics within organic agri-food supply chains. Following PRISMA guidelines, the review analyzes 22 relevant articles retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using thematic synthesis. The findings indicate that key opportunities associated with digital product traceability include enhanced transparency and accountability across supply chains, strengthened consumer trust and certification compliance, and improved efficiency and visibility of agri-food supply chain processes. Conversely, major challenges persist, particularly in smallholder-based supply chains, including high technology adoption costs, limited digital infrastructure and literacy, and risks of inequality and exclusion. Overall, this review highlights that digital product traceability holds significant potential to strengthen business ethics and sustainability in organic agri-food supply chains. However, the realization of these benefits is highly conditional upon inclusive implementation approaches, such as capacity building in digital literacy, supportive institutional frameworks, and the adoption of traceability technologies that are affordable, user-friendly, and aligned with local socio-cultural contexts