The Narratives of Transparency in Food Supply Chain Digitalisation: A Systematic Literature Review

Food supply chains (FSCs) have become global and complex, making them vulnerable to several risks. As the demand for transparency is getting higher than ever, the digitalisation of FSCs is becoming more recognised as a necessity to enable transparency. Research in FSC transparency often builds connections to digital technologies; however, the relationship between these technologies and transparency has rarely been investigated. From the 50 papers included in this systematic literature review, this research reveals the various narratives of transparency in FSC digitalisation through information asymmetry, trust, transparency, food safety and quality, food supply chain management, and sustainability. The theoretical implication of the findings is that technology can have different effects on transparency and is dependent on the implementation and context, although there can be some general effects. Based on the findings, this research initiates a discussion on digital transparency and offers a broad perspective that includes technical, organisational and social considerations.