A conceptual understanding of criminality and integrity challenges in food supply chains

Business, consumers and governmental organisations are harbouring a growing need to gain an appreciation of behaviours connected to food criminality. In order to acquire a cross-functional understanding of these thematic areas [crime & fraud] the mapping of existing research is needed. This paper contributes to the process of knowledge understanding, by systematically reviewing literature to provide an analysis of the current body of business knowledge against the thematic criterion of ‘supply chain food crime’ and ‘supply chain food fraud’. The analysis derives themes from the literature and maps this across the 8 pillars underpinning the UK Government paper on food supply chain resilience. The paper concentrates on the metrics that contribute to ‘food crime’ and ‘food fraud’ and deviating views of academic versus non-academic literature. In concluding the paper identifies thematic areas for further research, and presents a conceptual framework of food supply chain resilience.