T H E H A L A L M E A T M A R K E T

Specialist supply chain structures and consumerpurchase and consumption profiles in England

A Special ReportPublished by EBLEX

Contents

FOREWORD 1

METHODOLOGY 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

HALAL ABATTOIRS 6• Abattoir Profiles• The slaughter process• Stunning versus non-stunning• Halal certification• Key trends identified• Looking forward

HALAL BUTCHERS 9• Butcher profiles• Training• Halal certification• Stunning versus non-stunning• Consumer preferences and popular cuts

THE HALAL CONSUMER (1) 12Shopping behaviour and consumptions patterns- a qualitative understanding

• General shopping behaviour• Meat purchasing patterns• Meat consumption patterns

- Occasional meat eaters- Typical meat eaters- Committed meat eaters

• Types and cuts of meat consumed- Perceived gaps

• Consumer understanding of Halal• Stunning versus non-stunning• Eating non-Halal meat• Sources of information

- Certification bodies- Non-Muslim retailer assurance- Halal butcher assurance- Marketing communications

THE HALAL CONSUMER (2) 20Purchase and consumption – a quantitative overview

• Attitudes to and importance of Halal• Stunning acceptors and rejecters• Meat purchasing and consumption• Meat purchasing outlets• Halal certification• Eating out

APPENDIX 1 - UNDERSTANDING THE HALAL MEAT MARKET 32• Islam and Halal Meat• Halal as a Lifestyle• Monitoring Halal Meat in the UK

EBLEX HALAL STEERING GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 40

1

Above all this report offers a unique insight into thepreferences, perceptions and motivations of Muslimconsumers when buying meat. The report breaks newground in presenting the demographic breakdown nowavailable, the detail on purchasing and consumptionbehaviour and the information on the most popular cutsand preferences.

In particular, it explores the key issue of religious slaughterand the attitudes of Muslim consumers to stunning. What isclear from the report is that there is no universally agreed andaccepted standard for meat to be Halal. This is a matter asmuch for the certification bodies responsible for Halalassurance schemes as it is for the supply chain itself, whichmay welcome a single, global Halal standard.

I should like to thank the Halal certification bodies concernedfor the co-operation extended to EBLEX in connection with thisreport and to acknowledge the important role played by theinvited representatives of the Muslim community for the partthey played. Their advice and insight was generously givenand proved invaluable on many occasions.

Finally, I should emphasise that while this report is the mostcomprehensive study available to date of the Halal meatmarket and which is to be commended to the whole of thesupply chain, it is but a starting point. The Halal meat marketin England will continue to develop and our intention is to re-visit the research and update this report in 2012, followingnext year’s National Census which should provide a wealthof up-to-date statistical information on Muslim communitiesin Britain. The market deserves such investment in deepeningour understanding of its continuing development andwarrants our serious attention to ensure it delivers to itsmaximum potential.

Simon WarrenChairman, Halal Steering Group

The Halal Steering Group was set up under the auspicesof the EBLEX sector board, of which Simon Warren is a member.

I am particularly pleased for a number of reasons to beable to write the Foreword to this report, not least because,by co-incidence, its publication comes at a time when certainsections of the national press have chosen to report thematter of Halal meat in somewhat pejorative terms.

What’s important is that the initiative by EBLEX to publish whatI believe is the first definitive and authoritative report into theHalal red meat industry in England will provide the basis for aproper understanding of the market as it exists, the potentialit offers specialist abattoirs and butchers for furtherdevelopment and the prospects it holds to be brought intothe mainstream.

It is right for EBLEX to publish this report. While there arearound two million Muslims in the UK representing just 3%of the population, they consume around 20% of all the lambsold in England and are increasing their consumption of beef.Halal meat consumption is clearly an important part of theMuslim diet: the Muslim community represents an importantconsumer base for beef and especially lamb.

The report is based on extensive qualitative and quantitativeresearch; it is the most comprehensive attempt yetundertaken to quantify the Halal meat sector and outline itsstructure and practices. As such, it provides an unrivalledknowledge store for specialist Halal butchers and abattoirsto aid business decision-making and plan furtherdevelopment of the sector. It should also prove useful formainstream retailers and processors considering expandinginto this specialist area. A number of grocery multipleretailers, for example, now offer Halal meat either through aspecialist Halal butcher operating in-store under a franchisemodel or with a range of pre-packed fresh product.

Foreword

The profile of the abattoirs in terms of location and turnoverwas as shown below:

ButchersA large qualitative sample of 50 interviews with Halalbutchers was also included in the project.

All of the butchers were interviewed at their businesspremises to provide better insight into how Halal meat is sold.The research team was able to observe the shopenvironment while conducting the interview to see what levelof information was available to shoppers in respect of theslaughter process, Halal assurance/accreditation certificates,suppliers and so on. The interviews lasted approximately 30minutes each.

The sample profile by location and by the ethnicity of therespondent is shown below.

£5-9m

£10-19m

£20-49m

£50-99m

£100-199m

£200-500m

Over £500m

Refused

3

0

2

1

0

1

1

6

Annual Turnover No.

2

This report is based on a mix of qualitative and quantitativeresearch projects supplemented by detailed desk research toprovide the most comprehensive analysis of the Halal meatindustry available to date.

To understand the size and demographic breakdown ofthe UK Muslim population, an extensive review of existingresearch data related to the composition of the Muslimcommunity in the UK, background information on Islamand the concepts of Halal and Haram was undertaken.

A variety of sources of published data was examined,including:

• 2001 Census data

• Labour Force Survey data

• Other relevant government data e.g. population growthestimates

• Newspaper articles

• Specialist Muslim/Halal food websites

• Data from other published reports in relation to UKMuslims’ lifestyle, religious practices and customs etc.

This exercise provided detailed information at both an overallpopulation level and also by specific community on factorssuch as the age profile, household composition andgeographical distribution of Muslim communities by ethnicity- Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Turkish and so on.

The detail of that research is contained as Appendix I to thisreport

The desk research phase was followed by qualitativeresearch with abattoirs, butchers and consumers.

AbattoirsA qualitative research methodology was used for the abattoirsample, given that the research objectives for this audiencerequired an in-depth exploratory approach.

A total of 41 Halal abattoirs were initially approached and 14businesses agreed to take part, sufficient for a robust samplefor the research intended. However, while that numberrepresents a better than 1-in-3 strike rate and is very good fora business-to-business survey of this kind, we would ideallyliked to have had more Halal abattoir businesses take part.

Interviews were conducted either face-to-face or over thetelephone, each lasting between 30 and 90 minutes.

Methodology

Wales/Scotland

North of England

East of England

Midlands

South of England

TOTAL

4

2

2

4

2

14

Location No.

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Indian

Kurdish Iraqi

Turkish

TOTAL

33

7

2

4

4

50

Respondents’ Ethnicity No.

Oldham

Bradford

Birmingham

Slough

Southall

South London

East London

North London

TOTAL

4

12

8

3

4

8

6

5

50

Location No.

ConsumersFor the qualitativeresearch with consumers,a series of 16 focusgroups with Muslimrespondents wasundertaken, with a fooddiary pre-task. Each focusgroup comprised 7-8respondents and lastedapproximately 1½ hours.Each respondent wasasked to keep a writtenrecord of their meatpurchases and meatconsumption over a 7-dayperiod prior to thediscussion. Respondentsmade a note of whattypes of meat they ate, which cuts and when, as well asnoting down any cooked meat purchased from takeaways orrestaurants.

The respondents were randomly recruited in-street and viacommunity organisations. They ranged in age from 18-65years old and as some did not speak English fluently, all ofthe focus groups had a bi-lingual moderator able to conversein the respondents’ mother tongue. Only those who eat andbuy meat and poultry regularly were invited to participatebecause of the subject matter.

The focus groups were divided by ethnicity, gender, age andsocial class. They took place in the North, Midlands and Southof England, as shown in the table above.

Quantitative consumer researchThe findings from the qualitative research shaped andguided a detailed questionnaire that was used to conduct1,000 face-to-face, paper-based interviews in England, eachlasting about 30 minutes. Around a quarter of the interviews(26%) were conducted in languages other than English. Thesample base was recruited to reflect the range of ethnicorigins of the Muslim population across England to ensurethat that the widest range of views was reflected in theresearch.

The demographic profile of the 1,000 research sample isdetailed in the table (right).

3

*Interviews conducted in mother tongue

Pakistani

Pakistani

Pakistani

Pakistani

Pakistani*

Bangladeshi

Bangladeshi

Bangladeshi*

Indian

Indian

Middle Eastern/Arab*

Middle Eastern/Arab

Turkish/Turkish Cypriot

Turkish/Turkish Cypriot

Somali*

Somali*

Men

Women

Men

Women

Women

Women

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Men

Ethnicity Gender

18-30

18-30

31-45

31-45

46-65

18-30

31-45

46-65

31-45

18-30

31-45

18-30

18-30

31-45

31-45

18-30

Age

BC1

C2DE

C2DE

BC1

C2DE

BC1

C2DE

C2DE

BC1

C2DE

BC1

C2DE

BC1

C2DE

C2DE

BC1

Social class

London/SE

Birmingham

Bradford

London/SE

Bradford

London/SE

Birmingham

London/SE

Birmingham

Manchester

London/SE

London/SE

London/SE

London/SE

Manchester

London

Location

GenderMale

Female

Age16-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75+

EthnicityPakistani

Bangladeshi

Indian

African

Turkish

Middle Eastern*

Other

Main language spoken at homeEnglish

Urdu

Punjabi

Arabic

Bangla

Sylheti

Turkish

Somali

Farsi

Pashto

French

Other

509

494

230

288

214

137

89

38

7

431

164

95

57

46

145

65

203

237

140

124

71

62

51

21

7

5

2

80

No.(n=1000)

51%

49%

23%

29%

21%

14%

9%

4%

1%

43%

16%

9%

6%

5%

14%

6%

20%

24%

14%

12%

7%

6%

5%

2%

1%

1%

0%

8%

% Samplepopulation

*For the purposes of this study this includes persons of North African origin

4

Executive Summary

The following Executive Summary seeks to capture the mainelements of the findings from the research undertaken for thisproject. All of the statements are based on the responsesgiven by those interviewed and represent their views andperceptions rather than what may in fact be the case.

The Muslim communities in the UK are estimated at around2 million people – about 3% of the population. Muslimsaccount for about 20% of lamb consumption in this countryand a small but increasing amount of beef. The Halal meatmarket therefore is a multi-million pound contributor to theBritish economy.

Halal meat consumption is an important feature of life acrossMuslim communities in the UK with 90% indicating that theyconsume Halal meat. More than 8 out of 10 Muslims tend toconsume meat regularly with almost 6 out of 10 indicatingthat they eat meat most of the time. There are no discerniblegenerational differences.

Generally, around 9 in 10 respondents were satisfied withthe availability of Halal meat from suppliers in Englandsuggesting that their Halal requirements are currently beingadequately met.

Muslims buy Halal meat mostly from Halal butchers andother specialist outlets. Although awareness of supermarketHalal offerings is high, loyalty towards specialist butchersoutweighs the convenience of one-stop shopping for mostHalal meat purchases.

Consumers perceive that Halal butchers have the advantageof:

• Trust – because they trust a fellow Muslim’s wordregarding whether or not a product is Halal

• Customer service – in terms of bespoke cutting of meatand chicken to a customer’s exact requirements, homedelivery and cooking advice

• Range of cuts available

• Price, especially when buying in bulk

Meat is almost always bought fresh (the exception beingfrozen Halal items aimed at children and other frozenconvenience foods such as burgers, chicken nuggets andsamosas).

This is driven by cultural norms: Muslim consumers prefer tobuy meat fresh, wash it and freeze it in their own portionbags. They also harbour suspicions about the possible ageand poor quality of shop-frozen meat.

Purchase patterns show around 70% who buy chicken, 60%lamb, 50% mutton and 28% beef; frequency of purchaseranges from once a week – 72% of consumers – to the 25%who shopped for meat several times a week.

It is a common practice to buy meat and chicken in bulkacross all Muslim communities.

In this research, meat consumption was highest amongSomali men and women and younger Middle Eastern men,who were eating meat-based meals at least three times aweek. Typically, however, consumers were alternatingbetween meat and chicken meals; thus, most ate red meat2-3 times a week. Men tended to be the main meat eaters intheir households.

Although mutton is purchased across all ethnic groups,the South Asian groups (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi)display purchase frequency patterns that are markedlydifferent from African, Turkish and Middle Easterncommunities. Lamb purchase is a feature across all ethnicgroups with regular purchase. Beef purchase is mostfrequently the domain of African, Turkish and Middle Eastrespondents as contrasted with those from the Indian subContinent (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).

Muslims overwhelmingly do not consider Halal as being aredundant concept. For many consumers, particularly thosefrom the South Asian community, it is very important to eatonly meat and chicken that is Halal.

However, some consumers do eat non-Halal meat andchicken from time to time. In this research, the Turkish Cypriotwomen and younger Middle Eastern men were most likely todo so, while some Somalis, Turkish men and youngerPakistani men had done so occasionally (usually when Halalmeat was not available).

There is strong evidence of continuity of Halal consumptionacross generations and across ethnicities, and compliance ishigh with the exception of those of Turkish origin, whereadherence patterns are less strong.

The consumers who took part in the research perceived thatthe following is required for meat to be Halal:

• The animal must be slaughtered by a Muslim

• The animal must be blessed during the slaughteringprocess

• The blood of the animal must fully drain out

• The animal must be killed by a sharp cut across the throat

However, beyond this, interpretations of Halal meat slaughtervaried.

The majority of respondents were familiar with and recognisesome or most attributes of Halal meat slaughter procedures.‘Prayer offered at time using a sharp knife’ (65%) and ‘animalslaughtered in relation to Shariah Law’ (62%) were the twomost commonly cited views of Halal meat.

Interestingly, when prompted through a showcard,respondents did not focus just on traditional interpretations

5

non-stunning for animal welfare reasons. Apart from this,there was little variation in the slaughtering process acrossthe abattoirs. For example, all have a Muslim slaughterman,all reported that prayers are recited in person by theslaughterer and that animals are left to bleed out.

Halal butchers were more aware of the pros and cons ofstunning than consumers, but were not entirely clear onwhether or not the meat they sell is stunned or non-stunned.It emerged that a substantial number of them have nevervisited the slaughterhouse where they source their meat andseveral butchers claiming to sell non-stunned meat werebuying from abattoirs who reported that they stun theiranimals.

Among the minority of consumers aware of the stun versusnon-stun issue, there were concerns about whether or notstunning is Halal. The religious issues were more of a worrythan the animal welfare issues. However, some perceivedthat stunning is painful and therefore cruel to animals (a viewshared by some of the butchers).

Around half of the abattoirs in the sample and the vastmajority of butchers were not members of any Halalassurance schemes. A key barrier was cost, but many alsoobjected in principle with the way the various certificationbodies operate.

There was a relatively low level of community awareness ofHalal Food Authority (HFA) (37%) and Halal MonitoringCommittee (HMC) (32%) certification bodies, despite thestated importance of Halal confirmation signs.

The HMC appeared to have more credibility because somewere aware that the HFA accepts that animals may bestunned before slaughter. However, there was little in-depthknowledge of either of these bodies in terms of what eachorganisation stands for, how they work and who runs them.

None of the consumers appeared to check for certificationin their usual Halal butcher shop since they had an inherenttrust in the word of a fellow Muslim and (generally) a longstanding relationship with the butcher they used. However,they said they would seek reassurance if purchasing from anon-Halal (mainstream) store by looking for Halal certificates,detailed on-pack labelling and the presence of Muslim staff.

Looking forward, some of the abattoir owners suggested thatone alternative might be ‘post stick stunning’ as a way ofbridging the gap between Halal requirements and animalwelfare concerns. This means stunning animals immediatelyafter their throat is cut in order to reduce any perceivedsuffering.

Abattoir owners interviewed would also like to see thedevelopment of a single, global Halal standard as a meansof helping the industry to progress.

of Halal; they realised that Halal slaughter was alsocharacterised by a range of methods that reflected thedemands of modern society. For example, 20% suggestedthat the ‘animal is stunned.’ Almost 40% suggested‘mechanical knife slaughter’, and almost 50% of responsesmentioned ‘prayer offer by tape.’ This contrasted with around40% responses pertaining to ‘Knife slaughter across thethroat made in person’.

A number of abattoir operators interviewed suggested someform of differentiation within the Halal meat sector might beapplied. For example, product could be labelled according tothe principles of Islamic law relating to Halal and indicating ahierarchy where the product concerned adhered tomandatory/required acts or permissible acts or allowableacts. Such tiering could facilitate pricing differentials as well.

Despite expressing varied interpretations of Halal meatslaughter, over 6 out of 10 Muslims expressed that ‘if a personof Muslim faith says it is Halal, it is Halal’ for the recipient.This suggests that the apparent complexities associated withdetermining Halal meat slaughter may well be secondary tothe simple declaration of a Muslim.

Stunning versus non-stunning is an important considerationin determining Halal meat status. In exploring attitudestowards stunning, it was evident that stunning was notdeemed to be appropriate by a large number of respondents.Around 50% of responses related to ‘other animals inproximity to slaughter’ rendering the process unlawful, whilstalmost 50% of responses related to the fact that ‘if the animalwas stunned’ the meat would be unacceptable.

However in practice, there was evidence that uncertaintyexists within the Muslim community as to what technicallyconstitutes the Halal slaughter process. Again, in practice, theword of the butcher is considered to be important. More thanone-third of respondents (36%) believed they purchased onlynon-stunned meat from their current supplier with a furtherthird (31%) indicated they did not know whether their supplierprovided non-stunned meat. This uncertainty does notprevent stunned meat purchase, however.

Whilst over half the sample (55%) had a strong preference tosee a logo certifying Halal status, 80% of these would behappy to take the butcher’s word to confirm Halal.

Indeed, the influence of butchers in confirming Halal status isevidenced with over nine respondents in 10 expressingsatisfaction with their butcher in meeting their Halal meatrequirements. Analysis of the key drivers of both highsatisfaction and high importance revealed the perceivedrelevance of cleanliness of shop, good quality meat, Halalsign and assurance, good price and wide range of meat.

The majority of the abattoir owners interviewed stun theiranimals before slaughter; only two do not. Most were against

6

Halal Abattoirs

A PROFILE OF THE ABATTOIR BUSINESSESWHICH TOOK PART IN THE RESEARCHOf the 14 abattoirs in the research sample, 11 employedbetween 15 and 65 people; three larger businesses took partwhich employed 250, 500 and 3,200 employees respectivelywith annual turnovers of £60 million, £200 million and £600million. The companies which took part had been establishedfor between three and 100 years; most of the owners/seniorrepresentatives interviewed were not Muslim (though all theabattoirs have a Muslim slaughterman, see below).

All of the abattoirs in the survey slaughter for the Halal meatmarket all year round: all slaughter sheep or lamb while sixalso slaughter cattle, although one of those does not useHalal methods for cattle slaughter. One of the abattoirsslaughters about 1,000 goats a year and another 5,000 pigs.Eight of the abattoirs contract slaughter for one or morecustomers.

Ten of the 14 abattoirs supply only Halal meat, although threeof those sell their Halal meat to both Halal and non-Halalcustomers. Of the remaining four businesses, three reportedthat Halal meat represents less than 10% of their businesswhile the remaining abattoir stated that Halal currentlyaccounts for two-thirds of its business and is growing.

Five are involved in exporting Halal meat, principally to Franceand one is certified organic.

Half of them chill all carcases before distribution while afurther two reported that they chill most of their carcases. Theothers hot load at least half of their carcases as most of theircustomer base is very local.

Most abattoirs interviewed supply mainly independentbutchers and small shops while half also supply wholesalersin the UK and/or abroad. Half of the businesses supplyprivate individuals who prefer to buy their fresh meat directlyfrom an abattoir in order to avoid the food supply chain. Thethree largest businesses in the sample and two of the otherssupply major supermarkets and several abattoirs also supplyrestaurants and foodservice customers directly.

Most of the businesses interviewed said that their trade wasbased on consistent quality, reliability and competitive prices.Three report use of state-of-the-art technology to deliver acompetitive advantage while other competitive points ofdifference mentioned included excellent standards ofhygiene, location, longer shelf life of their meat and theprofile/reputation of their business.

Of the 14 abattoirs interviewed, 11 stun their animals beforeslaughter, two do not stun at all. The remaining abattoir stunsbefore slaughter as a matter of routine, but will slaughterwithout stunning if a customer specifically requests it. One of

the non-stun abattoirs slaughters cattle and has an annualthroughput of 3,640 cattle.

Most of the businesses report a decline in slaughter numbersin recent years citing among the reasons a lack of supply,high prices, adverse exchange rates, declining consumptionand a refusal by some customers to buy stunned meat. Ofthe few who reported an increase in business in recent years,the main reasons given were winning new customers and anincrease in demand for Halal beef. There was little evidencethat the recession has had an adverse impact on business,the perception being that Muslim consumers still like to eatmeat even when finances are tight.

THE SLAUGHTER PROCESSIt has to be said that a number of the abattoirs who agreed totake part in the research were nevertheless not initiallyforthcoming about the slaughter process employed otherthan to say their methods were Halal. However, after furtherprobing and as the interviews progressed, some commonthemes emerged.

• All of the abattoirs surveyed employ a Muslim to carry outHalal slaughter. In some cases, they had been appointedthrough (or approved by) a local mosque or had comefrom a major Halal customer

• The prayers/blessing is always recited in person by theslaughterman: no tape recordings are used

• Most use electric tongs to stun; a couple usea gun to the back of the head

• All except two of those stunning have a stunmonitor installed

• All but one say the animals are held in a restrainer(across both stun and non-stun abattoirs)

Lamb/sheep/eweswhere slaughterinvolves stunning

Cattlewhere slaughterinvolves stunning

Lamb/sheep/ewesWhere animalsare not stunned

Slaughter numbers of the sample

*One abattoir slaughters 3,640 cattle without stunning

Lowest Highest Average

57,000 1,000,000 379,470

1,040 21,750 11,063

62,400 260,000 161,200

7

beforehand. This is a particular issue for cattle, whichsome believe can take up to two minutes to die after ithas been cut

• Stunning makes the animals easier for the slaughtermanto handle and as a result makes for a more efficient andsafer slaughter process

• Stunning is also more efficient as a business processbecause since non-stunned animals are not supposed tobe moved for 20 seconds after slaughter, it means thatnon-stun abattoirs are limited to a maximum slaughterrate of 180 animals an hour per line

• Stunning, using a method of recoverable stun does notrender the meat Haram (forbidden) since the animal’sheart is still beating at the point of slaughter

• The view was also expressed that non-stunning is crueland outdated

Against stunning

• Stunned animals cannot be considered Halal because theanimal is unconscious so one cannot be sure that it is stillalive when it is slaughtered. If the animal has alreadydied before the slaughterman cuts its throat, then it isconsidered to be carrion and it is forbidden for Muslims toeat it

• The animal is supposed to hear the prayer before it dies,which it cannot do if it is unconscious

HALAL CERTIFICATIONOnly six of the 14 abattoirs interviewed were members of anHalal certification scheme: four being certified by the HalalFood Authority (HFA), one by the Halal Monitoring Committee(HMC) and the other by the European Halal DevelopmentAgency (EHDA). Most of the certified abattoirs saw certificationas an acceptable business expense though a minority viewwas that participation was too costly.

Of those not currently in membership of any scheme, mostcited the high costs involved, which would have to be passedon to customers. Others said that their customers did notrequire them to be certified and therefore saw no reason tosubscribe.

A number of abattoirs expressed serious misgivings about allof the certification bodies, who they thought were moreconcerned with making money than with issues of faith asthey impacted on Halal. They pointed to flaws in the positionthat each certification body had taken over the issue ofstunning or non-stunning and urged the organisations

Most could not say precisely how long the animals are left tobleed since they generally have an automated line which theanimals follow after slaughter. Estimates ranged from 20seconds to 15 minutes.

STUNNING VERSUS NON-STUNNINGWhile it’s worth repeating that 14 of the 41 abattoirs initiallycontacted agreed to be interviewed and that this representsan excellent 1-in-3 strike rate for business-to-businesssurveys, there remains a suspicion, supported by anecdotalevidence, that those abattoirs who do not stun animalsbefore slaughter were more reluctant to take part in thisresearch than abattoirs who do stun.

Most of the abattoirs which did take part in this research stuntheir animals before slaughter and the majority of owners didnot approve of non-stunning for reasons of animal welfare.Indeed some expressed the view that it should be illegal notto stun animals before slaughter.

The owner of one of the abattoirs which did not stun wouldprefer to stun, but most of his customers insist that theanimals should not be stunned. One abattoir trialled non-stunning but reverted to stunning, again for reasons ofanimal welfare.

There was a widely held view among the businessesconcerned that they would need to stun animals if theywanted to supply the major supermarkets who, they felt,would not accept meat from animals that had not beenstunned at slaughter.

The arguments for and against stunning were exploredduring the research and while there were practicaladvantages cited by those in favour of stunning, the issuescentred around the interpretation of religious slaughter asdescribed in the Koran weighed against the merits of animalwelfare. The contrasting views can be summarised asfollows:

In favour of stunning

• A number of abattoirs expressed the view that stunningper se is not forbidden in the Koran. Thus, they argued,this does not make the difference between the meatbeing Halal or non-Halal: what matters is that theslaughterman follows the rules which are required (Fardh)and avoids the acts which are prohibited (Haram) in Islam

• Stunning is better for animal welfare since it renders theanimal insensitive to pain

• It was argued that non-stunning causes the animalunnecessary pain because it can take some time for ananimal to die after its throat has been cut and it suffersthroughout that time if it has not been stunned

8

concerned to work more closely together to establish a singleHalal standard. One abattoir whose membership of acertification scheme had lapsed said it had declined to renewbecause the organisation had not been sufficiently vocal indefending the practice of stunning before slaughter.

The lack of official certification did not appear to be a barrierto business: prospective customers were more likely to askabout the method of slaughter and who carried out theslaughter process (though it was pointed out that only aminority of new customers ask specifically about stunning).

KEY TRENDS IDENTIFIEDThe debate surrounding the issue of whether or not to stun,as outlined above, was universally mentioned by the abattoirswhich took part in the research with consumers increasinglydemanding to know whether animals are stunned or notbefore slaughter. Other key trends indentified by thoseinterviewed included:

• The attempt by some of the major supermarkets toexpand into the Halal market brought mixed views fromthe abattoirs interviewed: some think this is the inevitablefuture for the industry, while others feel supermarkets willnot be able to gain a strong foothold in the marketbecause Muslim consumers are wedded to using small,local, Muslim-run butcher shops

• Financial issues: in particular, abattoir owners mentionedhigh meat prices, late payments from their customers andthe weakness of Sterling negatively impacting on theexport trade (sic)

• Lack of supply - which the abattoirs reported wasaffecting the industry as a whole

• Consumers becoming more discerning in terms of quality

• Growth in demand for Halal beef, particularly within thefood service sector

• Growth in demand for convenience foods and for addedvalue such as Halal organic, Halal free range and Halalfarm assured

• Lack of a single, global Halal standard – which some feelis holding back the development of the industry (seebelow)

• Excessive paperwork, regulation and red tape

LOOKING FORWARDAt the conclusion of the interviews, each abattoir was askedhow they felt the Halal meat industry might develop: theirviews centred on the issue of stunning.

Two respondents suggested the introduction of post stickstunning – where the animal is slaughtered while consciousbut stunned immediately afterwards to reduce any period ofsensibility to a few seconds. It was felt this would appeasethose whose belief is that stunning is not Halal while at thesame time addressing animal welfare concerns.

It would appear that such proposals had been taken toreligious leaders for consultation.

Others felt that establishing some method of differentiationwithin the Halal meat sector could be introduced. Forexample, product could carry labelling based on the fiveprinciples of Islamic law relating to Halal:

• Mandatory/required acts

• Recommended acts

• Permissible acts

• Disapproved/disliked acts

• Forbidden acts

It was argued that where slaughter fulfilled mandatory acts –i.e. slaughtered in the Name of Allah – and avoided theforbidden – i.e. the meat is not carrion – then the meat isHalal. If the slaughter also fulfilled recommended acts – i.e.that the animal faced Mecca – and avoided the disapproved– i.e. slaughtering in front of other animals - then some formof higher status Halal could be considered as premium andpriced accordingly.

A more straightforward view was taken by others whowanted Halal meat to be labelled stunned or not stunned sothat consumers could make an informed choice.

Most, though, agreed the need for a single, global Halalstandard so that the industry could move forward anddevelop further. Such a single acceptable standard wouldbring clarity to abattoirs and processors and would helpreduce confusion among butchers and consumers. Theabattoirs were uncertain, however, who should beresponsible for developing such a standard nor, indeed,where it should originate – Mecca, Saudi Arabia andMalaysia all being mentioned.

9

had taken over the running of the business from their fathersand these second generation butchers claimed to havepicked up their skills from an early age.

The feeling prevalent among those interviewed is that formaltraining courses are not particularly useful as Halal butchersneed different skills from non-Halal butchers. For example,Halal butchers remove skin and fat and de-bone meat, theycut meat in a different way to cater for the cooking needs ofMuslim customers – providing diced meat for use in a curryrather than a whole roast joint, for instance – and perceivethat non-Halal butchers use more machinery and tools thanHalal butchers.

Two of the respondents had been formally trained asbutchers but they echoed the views of the majority, sayingthat their courses had not been particularly beneficial.However, a number of butchers had been formally trained inhealth and safety and in food hygiene and that training wasoften cascaded to other employees in the shop.

HALAL CERTIFICATIONAbout 25% of the sample interviewed is certified by the HalalMonitoring Committee (HMC); a small number use only HMC-certified suppliers though they are not themselves certified.HMC appeared to be particularly strong in East London,Southall and parts of Bradford. Many of those butchersreported that HMC had become synonymous with meat thatis 100% Halal – a view shared by their customers.

That said, surprisingly few know what the initials HMC standfor, what the role of the organisation is and from where itoriginates. Such confusion is compounded by the fact thatfew butchers had heard of the Halal Food Authority (HFA) orthat other certification bodies exist,

Those certified by the HMC cited the following benefits:

• It guarantees that suppliers provide meat thatis 100% Halal

• It reassures consumers (some of whom enquirewhether the meat is Halal or HMC)

• It devolves responsibility of the butcher to ensuremeat is Halal to the supplier who is perceived tohave taken on that obligation

Butchers do acknowledge that such certification is expensive.Some also revealed that they had found themselves short ofstock when their usual supplier had failed to deliver and theywere forbidden to source from non-HMC suppliers as analternative.

A PROFILE OF THE BUTCHERSInterviews, all of which took place on the butcher’s premises,were conducted with 50 Halal butchers. All of them servecustomers from across a wide age range, male and femaleand some estimated their customer base to be 50% Muslim,50% non-Muslim. Again, recruitment of the butcher samplebase ensured that they were from and representative of thevarious ethnic communities within the Muslim population toensure the sample was as representative as possible.

The ethnicity of their customer base was very muchdependent on the butcher’s location. For example, Halalbutchers in Bradford and Oldham reported a mostly Pakistanicustomer base while in Tower Hamlets in East London,customers were of Bangladeshi ethnic origin (as were thebutchers themselves). In major metropolitan areas such asBirmingham, Southall and other London boroughs, customerswere more diverse and included South Asian Muslims, SriLankans, Arab/Middle Eastern, Somalis and other Africansas well as those of a Caribbean background.

Butchers in Slough reported having Eastern Europeancustomers; Kurdish and Turkish butchers tended to attracta higher proportion of customers from their own ethnicbackground.

In all cases all of the meat (and chicken) sold by the butchersinterviewed is fresh. All of them buy whole carcases whichare cut in-store. In addition, most sell frozen Halalconvenience foods containing meat and chicken and alsoburgers, kebabs, sausages and samosas.

It was universally pointed out that culturally, Halal customersprefer to buy their meat fresh and freeze it themselves, oftenin meal-portions, because they tend to be sceptical about theage of pre-frozen meat and concerned that it may not havebeen of good quality before freezing.

Typically, up to one-third of their customers buy in bulk – awhole or half sheep or a box of 12 chickens, with meat moreoften bought in bulk than chicken.

A common observation among all of the butchers interviewedwas that consumers are buying less meat than before,mainly for reasons of price but also for health reasons.Butchers also believed that second generation families eatmore chicken unlike first generations who preferred red meat.

TRAININGA small number of respondents were not themselvesbutchers but owners of convenience stores who employbutchers to sell fresh meat as part of their business. Of theremainder, almost all their training was on-the-job either in afamily-owned butcher shop or elsewhere. A small number

Halal Butchers

10

HMC operates a ‘three strikes and out’ policy – butchersreceive three warnings for any breach of certificationrequirements before certification is removed - and somebutchers, feeling it would provide a competitive advantage,wanted those who had received warnings to be listed on theHMC website.

A small number of HMC-certified butchers highlight theircertification and/or slaughter process with in-store material.

HMC members aside, however, most butchers dismissedcertification schemes as money-making exercises. It becameevident during the research that much business in the Halalmeat sector is conducted on trust and personal relationshipsand few see the need for certification schemes. Butchers trusttheir suppliers and in turn are trusted by their consumers.

Therefore, while all of the butchers interviewed asserted thatthe slaughter process was important to them, most had nevervisited the slaughterhouse from which they source their meat.The research also discovered several cases where butcherswho were claiming to sell non-stunned meat were sourcingfrom abattoirs which did stun all animals before slaughter.

It was evident that butchers take the word of their supplierregarding slaughter process and whether the meat is Halaland as most butchers were dealing predominantly withMuslim suppliers and middlemen, it was taken for grantedthat their word was sufficient guarantee. Similarly, mostbutchers reported that their regular customers never querywhether their meat is Halal and that new customers, towhom they are often recommended by word of mouth, makeonly a cursory enquiry.

STUNNING VERSUS NON-STUNNINGA small majority of butchers were completely againststunning before slaughter; the rest were either not concernedor took the view that stunning is acceptable within Islam.

The issue was mentioned mostly spontaneously during theinterviews. The strongest views against stunning were held bybutchers of South Asian ethnicity; Kurdish and Turkishbutchers were less engaged with the issue. There was also aregional difference with butchers in Bradford and Oldhammore willing to accept that cattle and sheep should bestunned before slaughter than they were that chicken shouldbe. The prevailing view was that chickens are more fragileand therefore more likely to die from stunning than a largeranimal which they perceived could withstand an electricshock.

Many of the butchers referred to stunning as an electric shockor even electrocution, indicating that for some the perceptionis that animals are subjected to a life-threatening level ofelectricity. Others were aware that stunning does not kill theanimal and went on to point out that stunning was the normin the UK until relatively recently; they were confused as towhy the matter has now become such a sensitive andcontroversial issue. They pointed out that if the Muslimcommunity had previously accepted stunned meat, why haveso many opinions now changed?

Overall, the arguments put forward by butchers either for oragainst stunning reflected those of abattoir owners reportedabove. There were those who took the view that sheep andcattle could not die from the level of electricity delivered by thestun, that stunning reflected better animal welfare standardsand that stunning facilitated better handling by theslaughterman.

Those butchers against stunning believe it is not Halal to doso as they could not be sure that the animal is alive at thepoint of slaughter; a few mentioned that the animal shouldbe sufficiently conscious as to hear the prayer delivered bythe slaughterman; and some butchers expressed the viewthat stunning is painful and therefore more cruel than non-stun slaughter.

CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND POPULAR CUTSLamb/muttonThroughout the sample of 50 butchers, more mutton wassold than lamb: it is cheaper than lamb and more suited tomany Asian dishes. Butchers reported than mutton wasparticularly popular with Muslims of Pakistani, Bangladeshi,Caribbean, Sri Lankan and Somali ethnic origin. MiddleEastern, Arab and Turkish customers on the other handpreferred lamb despite its price premium over mutton.

Among the most popular cuts of lamb reported wereshoulder, leg and mince (among all communities), backchops (Kurdish and Arab communities), neck (Pakistani andTurkish) and front and chump chops (Turkish customers).

Butchers reported that shoulder, leg and mince were amongthe most popular cuts of mutton among all communities,neck among Pakistani consumers, boneless among SouthAsian customers and ribs and chops especially amongBangladeshis.

Volumes of lamb and mutton sold varied between 150 kg and2,500kg a week, though one large outlet catering for thefoodservice trade sold 5,000kg a week.

11

PoultryThe butchers reported that chicken was most often boughtwhole and then skinned and jointed by the butcher – butjointed in different ways depending on the ethnicity of thecustomer. For example, Pakistani customers wanted chickencut into about 10 pieces, Kurdish consumers preferred fourlarge pieces. South Asian and Somali consumers boughtmainly small whole chickens.

Popular cuts included boneless thighs, legs, breast andwings.

Volumes sold varied between 200kg and 2,500 kg a weekwith two butchers selling more than 4,000kg a week tofoodservice customers.

Other meatsA small number of butchers also sell goat meat, though theyreport this is difficult to source; turkeys are sold at Christmasto both Muslim and non-Muslim customers and there areoccasional, special requests for veal and duck.

BeefOnly a minority of the sample interviewed sell beef regularlywhile a small number of others sell it on special order. One ofthe main reasons cited for not selling beef was fear ofalienating Hindu customers by having beef on display. Moretrade in beef was achieved by those selling to restaurantsand caterers than by those catering only for retail customers,suggesting that beef may be enjoyed out-of-home more thancooked at home.

Muslims of Bangladeshi ethnic origin were identified asbuying most beef, which is also popular with Somali andother African Muslims.

The most popular cuts of beef were steak/steak pieces, ribs,mince, boneless thigh/leg (particularly with South Asian andMiddle Eastern customers) and cow’s feet (among Pakistanicustomers).

Volumes of beef sold among the research sample of butchersranged from 10kg to 100kg a month, with one large retaileralso selling 1,000kg a week to the foodservice sector.

Shopping behaviour and consumptions patterns- a qualitative understanding

The primary objective of this qualitative research was to helpshape the approach to the planned quantitative research andto ensure a sound basis on which to construct a meaningfuland robust questionnaire for that quantitative work. Thischapter outlines the results of that qualitative research whichindeed provided a depth of understanding about the viewsand behaviour of Halal meat consumers and how thismanifests itself in terms of purchase and consumption.Through the focus group research, it was possible to gaininsights into the awareness, beliefs, attitudes and routines ofMuslim shoppers that in turn helped to shape thequestionnaire that was used to undertake quantitativeresearch among a wider sample of Halal shoppers, theresults of which are contained in the following chapter.

GENERAL SHOPPING BEHAVIOURCommon to all participants in the focus group research was asplit for food shopping between the major multiples anddiscounters for what can be described as mainstream goodsand specialist ethnic outlets for ethnic foods and Halal meatpurchases.

For the vast majority, the norm was a weeklysupermarket/discounter shop with two or three top-upshopping trips in the week. Any variation in that reflectedhousehold size – larger households shopping morefrequently. Only one person among the 120 who took part inthe focus groups shopped for food on-line and then onlyoccasionally; two men of Turkish ethnicity reported neverusing mainstream supermarkets and claimed to buy all theirfood from a local Turkish food centre.

The use of specialist outlets varied in frequency. While someshopped for ethnic goods once a week, many visitedspecialist shops between three and six times a week for freshfoods, especially fruit and vegetables.

Specialist shops used included:

• Independent Halal butcher shops (all respondents)

• Asian-owned corner shops and supermarkets(respondents of South Asian and Somali ethnicity)

• Turkish food centres (Turkish, Somali and MiddleEastern/Arabic)

• Somali shops (Somali respondents only)

• Arabic shops (Middle Eastern/Arabic respondents only)

• Cash and carry outlets for items bought in bulk, such assacks of rice, drums of oil, sacks of onions etc.(SouthAsian and Somali respondents)

From the focus group research, it was possible to establishthe typical shopping repertoire as shown below:

MEAT PURCHASING PATTERNSAt least one respondent in each of the focus group sessionsbought their meat and chicken in bulk – a whole or halfsheep or a box of chickens. First generation Muslims ofBengali ethnicity all bought meat, chicken and Bengali fish ona fortnightly basis. For most others, the preference was to buymeat as and when it was needed, not only because theywanted their meat to be as fresh as possible, but for thepractical reasons that they lacked freezer space for storage orthat they routinely passed the butcher shop and it wasconvenient to shop for meat more frequently.

Younger men (18 to 30 years of age) of Indian ethnicity weretypical of those shopping two to three times a week for meat,chicken, fruit and vegetables to ensure optimum freshness.Overall, it was the men of household who took responsibilityfor buying meat – either because it was bought in bulk andtherefore too heavy for the women in the household or simplybecause some of the women expressed a dislike of going tothe butcher because they saw it as a male-dominatedenvironment.

Universally among all the ethnic communities it was the normto remain loyal to one particular Halal shop: consumerstrusted these shops and felt they offered consistent quality.Almost all were buying from a shop that had originally beenrecommended by others or which is used by their widerfamilies.

The key advantages of buying meat from an independentHalal butcher were reported to be:

• Customers can develop a long and loyal relationship withthe butcher

• Customers trust that the meat is 100% Halal

• Halal butchers offer a personal service and cut meat toorder, as well as skinning and/or de-boning it accordingto the customer’s requirements

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The Halal Consumer (1)

Major supermarketsGroceries, staples • English fruit and vegetables e.g. carrots •Halal meat - occasionally • Fish - mainstream • Frozen items forchildren e.g. oven chips, fish fingers • Household goods

Halal butchers/Asian convenience storesHalal meat • Halal chicken • Halal convenience foods e.g.kebabs, chicken nuggets, samosas • Spices and herbs •‘Ethnic’ fruit and vegetables e.g. okra • Asian staples bought inbulk e.g. sacks of onions, rice, chapatti flour • Fish - morespecifically ‘ethnic’ varieties e.g. hilsa

Outdoor markets (used by a few)Fresh fruit and vegetables • Fish

• Some butchers take telephone orders and will deliver theorder to the customer’s home

• Most independent Halal butchers employ staff who speakmother tongue languages which is good for elders

• Consumers feel they can negotiate discounts, which theycannot do in a supermarket

• Butchers give advice and cooking tips e.g. on the best cutof meat to use in a particular dish

• Many feel independents are cheaper

• Independent Halal butchers sell meat in bulk- e.g. a whole sheep

There were drawbacks, too, however:

• That the prices are not fixed, which means thatsometimes butchers charge whatever they think thecustomer will pay

• There are no ‘sell by’ dates on the meat, which meansthat customers tend to find out the shop’s delivery days toensure they shop when the meat is freshest

• Hygiene issues i.e. shops can sometimes become messyand dusty, the butchers often wear bloody aprons

• As mentioned earlier, it was seen as a very maleenvironment which can make some female customersfeel uncomfortable – women of Bangladeshi origin inBirmingham, aged 31-45 years, reported feeling this way

All of the focus group participants were aware that majorsupermarkets also sell Halal meat (the in-store Halal butcherin selected Asda stores was frequently cited). Respondentswere generally open to buying Halal meat from supermarketsand many do occasionally – for example when unexpectedguests arrive and it would take too long to defrost meat fromthe freezer.

Those least likely to buy meat from supermarkets includednew arrivals to the UK across all age groups who would notrisk the possibility the meat was not Halal; those who did notwant to change existing shopping routines or who wereaverse to buying pre-packed meat; and for those living inBradford there was simply more than adequate provision ofspecialist butchers.

The perceived advantages of buying meat from supermarketswere the convenience of one-stop shopping, longer openinghours, lower prices, a range of special offers and loyaltycards on which to earn rewards. Practical considerations alsoincluded car parking facilities, a clean and hygienicenvironment, more appealing presentation and self servicecheckouts to facilitate speedier shopping.

Respondents also mentioned as an advantage thatsupermarket pre-packed meat always carried a sell-by date.

For those consumers who would not buy meat atsupermarkets, many cited the reason that they could not trustthe meat or chicken to be truly Halal. A number of youngerwomen (particularly those of Bangladeshi ethnicity) perceivedthat supermarket meat is approved by the Halal FoodAuthority (HFA) while they would trust only Halal MonitoringCommittee (HMC) approved suppliers. Other reasonsincluded that supermarkets sell a narrower range of cuts thanHalal butchers and that it is pre-packed and not cut to order.

A small number of respondents buy their meat and chickendirectly from abattoirs expressly to ensure the meat is Halaland as fresh as possible – it also saves money. Oneparticipant reported buying chicken in bulk two or three timesa year – buying directly from and slaughtering on the farm.

MEAT CONSUMPTION PATTERNSAll of the focus group participants bought fresh meat ratherthan frozen, even when buying in bulk, preferring to washand freeze the meat themselves in portion bags because theyhad concerns about the possible age and poor quality ofshop-frozen meat. The exceptions were frozen conveniencefoods containing meat and chicken such as Halal burgers,chicken nuggets, samosas and such products.

It was the norm across all the communities for people to cookfrom scratch, either daily or every other day. None of therespondents stored cooked meals (or leftovers) in the freezer.Other than a small number of students and single people,hardly any bought ready meals or ‘ready to cook’ products.

Little interest was expressed in picking up recipe cards fromHalal butchers: most seemed content to cook favourite familymeals, although a few do seek out new ideas by watchingcookery programmes on a regular basis and/or searching forrecipes on-line.

There appeared to be little demand for organic meat, mainlybecause the consumers were not aware of the existence ofHalal organic meat. Generally, they assumed this would bevery expensive and therefore out of their reach financially.Others were sceptical of the health benefits of buying organic,particularly as many believe that Halal meat is intrinsicallyhealthier than non-Halal meat saying that the blood of theanimal had drained away, taking any bacteria with it.However, some of the women of Turkish Cypriot origin boughtorganic and free-range non-Halal chicken from time to time.

13

The vast majority of those in the groups reported that theirmeat consumption increases at weekends - when they havemore time to cook something special for the family - andduring Ramadan and at Eid. During Ramadan, those in thegroups were likely to eat meat early in the morning to sustainthem until they ate again after dusk, whereas normally theywould eat meat only for lunch or dinner. In addition, groupmembers of Turkish origin reported eating more meat duringthe summer barbecue season.

The research team was able to explore the meat and poultryconsumption habits of the focus group participants insufficient detail to establish three distinctbehavioural/attitudinal groupings toward red meat –occasional, typical and committed meat eaters.

Occasional meat eatersTypical of this group were men and women of all ages froman Indian and Bangladeshi origin and younger women (18 to30 years of age) from Pakistani origin. They ate meat lessthan twice a week on average. Some of these were marriedwomen who cooked separate meals for themselves, havingprepared a red meat dish for their husbands.

Consumers in this group tended to prefer chicken to redmeat, citing taste, affordability, speed of preparation andversatility, especially when preparing a dish that had toappeal to the whole family with a wide age range.

Some respondents of Indian ethnicity fell into this groupbecause they eat a predominantly vegetarian diet whilemany from the Bangladeshi community eat more fish thanmeat. Added to these are those who cite health reasons fornow eating less red meat than previously.

Typical meat eatersThis was the largest of the three groups made up of thosewho eat red meat two to three times a week. The groupcomprised men and women of Turkish origin, women aged31 to 45 years of Middle Eastern origin and any of thoseconsumers of Pakistani ethnicity.

Their normal routine would be to alternate their red meatmeals with chicken and to include a fish or a vegetarian mealonce a week. While they enjoyed eating red meat,respondents were concerned that it was becoming moreexpensive and speculated they might have to migrate tochicken as a more affordable alternative.

Committed meat eatersThis group comprised men and women of Somali ethnicityand younger men (18 to 30 years) of Middle Eastern originwho eat meals containing red meat at least three times aweek, with some eating red meat daily.

Such diets were described by the respondents concerned astraditional of their country and they had continued that in theUK. Those of Somali origin ate mostly beef and lamb but alsoveal and camel meat which was imported from Australia andsold in Somali-owned shops; those of Middle Eastern/Araborigin also ate veal occasionally. Unlike other ethnic groups,both these cultures eat meat regularly at breakfast as well asat other meals during the day.

TYPES AND CUTS OF MEAT CONSUMED BY ETHNICITYFocus group participants were asked what cuts of beef, lamband poultry they typically buy and what sort of meat dishesthey normally cook at home. The table on the facing pageshows this information by ethnic group, describing the cutsand dishes in the respondents’ own words and which maynot, therefore, correspond with a butcher’s usual description.

The groups were also asked to identify those cuts they wouldlike to buy but currently find difficult to find in the shops theyvisit. The following were most frequently mentioned:

• Steak (by all groups)

• Lamb shanks (by those of Bangladeshi origin)

• Cow’s and lamb’s feet (Indian)

• Lamb’s liver, organic liver and lamb neck (Somali)

• Ribs, rib chops and sweetbreads (Turkish)

• Veal shoulder, duck, turkey, poussin, rabbit,pigeon and game (Middle Eastern)

Perceived gaps in Halal product offeringsConsumers perceived that certain types of Halal productseither do not exist or are not readily available and amongthose they would like to see become more available are:

• Halal ready made chicken and meat sandwiches(e.g. from major retailers)

• Halal versions of those products typically served inpopular fast food outlets

• Halal snack items and crisps

• Gelatine-free desserts and cakes

• Halal ready meals e.g. shepherd’s pie

• Halal rotisserie, particularly in supermarkets(roasted beef/lamb/chicken)

• Halal gelatine

• Halal chicken and lamb stock cubes

• Halal chicken sandwich fillers

• Halal cheese

• Halal bacon!

14

15

Lamb/mutton

Beef

Other meat

Much more lambconsumed thanbeef.

Most popularlamb cuts were:

• Whole/half asheep (cut upand frozen inportions)

• Shoulder

• Leg

• Minced(by butcher)

• Chops

• Lamb neck

• Sheep’s stomach(Birminghamonly)

• Steak pieces

• Cow’s feet (seenas a delicacy)

• Goat/mutton

• Ready madesamosas, lambburgers, kebabsetc.

Pakistani

Mainly eat lamband mutton ie.

• Whole/half asheep (cut upand frozen inportions)

• Shoulder

• Leg

• Mutton chops:front and back

• Minced (bybutcher)

• Ribs

• Steak

• Ready madelamb kebabs,tikka pieces,lamb sausages,samosas,burgers

Bangladeshi

• Whole/half asheep (cut upand frozen inportions)

• Leg

• Chops

• Ribs

• Neck

• Boneless cubes

• Minced (bybutcher)

• Steak

• Ready madelamb burgers,kebabs, springrolls, samosas

Indian

• Whole/half asheep (cut upand frozen inportions)

• Minced lamb

• Shoulder

• Leg/whole hindleg

• Ribs

• Chops

• Liver, kidneys

• Steak

• Minced beef

• Sughar (smallcuts of beef)

• Veal, camel meat

• Frozen burgers,sausages (lamband beef)

Somali

Mainly lamb

• Shoulder

• Leg

• Minced (bybutcher)

• Neck/

middle neck

• Ribs

• Front chops

• Best end/chumpchops

• Diced lamb

• Offal

• Steak

• Minced beef

• Ready madelamb and beefburgers

Turkish

• Whole lamb

• Leg/leg pieces

• Minced lamb(spiced andready to makeinto kebabs)

• Chops

• Shoulder

• Double backchops

• Stuffed lamb(de-boned,stuffed androlled)

• Cubed, bonelessbeef pieces

• Minced beef

• Veal

• Frozen lambburgers

• Deli meats

Middle EasternArabic

Types and Cuts of Meat Consumed

Typicalmeat dishes

Traditionaldishes:• Meat curries

• Keema

• Kebabs

• Biryani

• Roast/barbecued meat

Other:• Shepherd’s pie,spaghettiBolognese

Pakistani

Traditionaldishes:• Meat curries

• Mutton chops –curried or grilled

• Minced meatcurry

• Roast leg oflamb (Asianstyle)

• Meat pulao

• Lamb biryani

• Kebabs

Other:• Shepherd’s pie,lasagne

,

Bangladeshi

Traditionaldishes:• Lamb curry

• Lamb korma

• Tahari (rice andmeat cookedtogether)

• Grilled meatchops

• Kebabs

• Mince curry

• Meat ball curry

• Paya/nehari/

biryani (specialoccasions)

Other:• Shepherd’s pie

Indian

Traditionaldishes:• Grilled lamband steak

• Beef orlamb stew

• Lamb or beefcooked in brothor soup

• Mince cookedas kebabs,burgers orsamosas

• Lamb cookedwith rice

• Roast lamb/beef

Other:• Pizza

• Pasta withmeatballs

Somali

Traditionaldishes:• Lamb andvegetablestews

• Barbecues

• Kebabs

• Meatballs

• Roast lamb

• Dried beanscooked withmeat

Other:• Shepherd’s pie

• Lasagne

Turkish

Traditionaldishes:• Meat andvegetables(eg. okra) in atomato-basedsauce servedwith rice

• Meat and peas

• Grilled/fried/roasted meate.g. kofte/kebab/steak

(No mention ofEuropean dishesin either group)

Middle EasternArabic

Typical Meat Dishes Cooked

16

CONSUMER UNDERSTANDING OF HALAL MEATWhile there was some consensus concerning the key aspectsof Halal meat, the group research revealed considerabledifferences in awareness and understanding of Halal.Differences in beliefs and variations in slaughter practiceexisted among the focus groups, indicating that ethnic groupsfrom different countries may have developed differentunderstanding of the mandatory aspects of Halal, havingbeen taught different rules by their elders or religious leaders.

For example, there was consensus among all the groups onthe following points which were cited spontaneously:

• A Muslim slaughterman must kill the animal

• The animal must be blessed before slaughter with theSlaughterman reciting a prayer

• The blood from the animal must fully drain out

• The animal should be killed with a sharp cut across thethroat

Beyond these four common points, the different ethnic groupsexpressed different aspects of the slaughter process whichensured the meat is Halal. For example, in only six of the 16groups did it emerge that the slaughter had to be by a sharpknife while men of Somali ethnicity maintained that the knifemust be kept out of sight of the animal until the moment ofslaughter. Somali women insisted that an animal should notbe killed in front of other animals while men of Turkishdescent believed the animals should be blindfolded toprevent them seeing others being killed.

Participants of Turkish and Bangladeshi origin insisted that theanimal must be conscious at the time of slaughter and as aresult these groups were generally opposed to stunning.

Women of Somali and Indian origin said the animals mustface Mecca when they are killed. Younger men of Pakistaniorigin living in Bradford specified a prayer should be recitedthree times.

Fresh chicken

Other chicken

Other poultry

• Whole ‘baby’chicken

• Drumsticks

• Breast

• Bonelesschicken

• Chicken mince

• Wings, chickenlivers and offalwere lesspopular

• (One male buyshen because themeat is fresher)

• Frozen chickennuggets, spicychicken wings,chicken burgers(bought at ahalal shop)

• Chicken salami/sausage

• Duck

• Quail

• Turkey

• Capon

Pakistani

• Wholerooster/’baby’/spring chicken

• Whole broiler

• Drumsticks

• Breast

• Bonelesschicken

• Wings were lesspopular

• Frozen chickennuggets, kebabsand burgers(bought at ahalal shop)

• None

Bangladeshi

• Whole birds

• Bonelesschicken

• Drumsticks

• Thighs

• Breast

• Frozen chickennuggets andburgers

• Chicken salamiand chickenpalony (paté)from halal shops

• None

Indian

• Whole ‘baby’chicken

• Drumsticks

• Breast

• Thighs

• Frozen chickennuggets andburgers (fromhalal shop orMorrison’s)

• Chicken sausage(for pizzas/sandwiches)

• Pigeon (fromTurkish shops)

Somali

• Whole birds

• Thighs

• Drumsticks

• Wings

• Breast

• Chicken livers

• Frozen SouthernFried chickensteaks andchicken nuggets(from Turkishfood centre)

• Quail

• Duck

• Turkey

Turkish

• Whole ‘baby’chicken

• Drumsticks

• Breast/breastfillet/breast steak

• Thighs

• Chicken quarters

• Marinatedchicken pieces

• De-boned,stuffed and rolledchicken

• Frozen breadedchicken fillet,chicken burgersand chickennuggets (fromhalal shops)

• Chicken salami/

sausage

• Duck

• Turkey

• Quail

• Pigeon

Middle EasternArabic

Types and Cuts of Poultry Consumed

17

While those differences were expressed, there was broadagreement on what is not permissible within Islamicslaughter and among those key points were:

• Tape recorders should not be used for the obligatoryprayer

• Each animal must be individually blessed – it is notacceptable merely to bless the knife used to slaughter

• Mechanical slaughter methods should not be used; thiswas especially the case for chicken where some believefeathers should be plucked manually as well as slaughtercarried out manually

STUNNING OR NON-STUNNINGInterestingly, a number of respondents were unaware thatthere is an issue concerning stunning or non-stunning. Thoseleast aware were women of Turkish Cypriot origin and men ofboth Turkish and Middle Eastern origin. Those most aware ofthe debate were those of South Asian ethnicity (Pakistani,Bangladeshi and Indian).

Nevertheless, the issue was raised spontaneously in severalof the groups – but mainly in relation to the validity of thecertification bodies. A number of focus group participantsvolunteered they had heard rumours that HFA approved meatwas not Halal because the HFA accepts the practice ofstunning before slaughter.

Of those who were aware of the debate on the issue, mostbelieved that stunning is Haram – that is it renders the meatnon-Halal. There was, however, a great deal of confusionand little engagement in the merits for or against stunning.

Most believed that non-stunning is what they regarded as thecorrect Islamic method of slaughter and so did not question itfurther. They tended also to believe that non-stun methodsare less cruel to animals which would otherwise suffer painfrom the stun process.

At the conclusion of the discussion, few of the grouprespondents were able to say with certainty whether theirbutcher sells meat that has been stunned or not stunned.

EATING NON-HALAL MEATWhen asked if they had ever eaten non-Halal meat, either athome or out-of-home, nearly all respondents of South Asianorigin and women of Middle Eastern origin maintained theyhad never eaten non-Halal meat and that they had nevercooked it at home. A few respondents did report they hadeaten non-Halal meat on occasions, but only when it hadbeen difficult to obtain Halal meat.

Women of Turkish Cypriot origin and men of Middle Easternappeared to be the most relaxed about the matter: thewomen explaining they were not particularly religious, themen perceiving that saying their own prayer over the meatwas sufficient.

When eating out, the majority of respondents ensure they eatonly meat that is Halal, choosing Muslim-owned restaurantsand take-aways. While most also eat from KFC and Nando’sHalal dishes, some did express doubts about the authenticityof the meat given that certification was by HFA, in which theyhad less confidence (see Stunning or non-stunning above).

Most respondents reported that if Halal meat is not availableon the menu, they would choose a vegetarian or fish dish.

A small number of individuals within the groups claimed to bevery strict when eating out: this is not related to ethnicity butto the level of individual religious adherence. They had eithernever or rarely eaten out because they could not trust that themeat would be Halal. One respondent of Bangladeshi origin,for example, related that her mother, who had lived in the UKfor 30 years had never eaten outside of her own or herrelatives’ home. If she needed to be away from home for anylength of time, she would prepare food to take with her.Others who choose to adhere strictly to their religious beliefswould eat only in mosque restaurants.

At the other end of the spectrum, others from the groupsadmitted to eating non-Halal meat out-of-home; those beingmainly from the Turkish Cypriot, Middle Eastern or Somalicommunities. Two younger men (18-30 year olds) of Pakistaniorigin reported they had eaten non-Halal meat or chicken infast food restaurants.

In a later discussion on marketing communications and theinformation Muslim consumers wanted, there was a cleardesire for the issues of stunning verses non-stunning and themerits of each to be clearly spelt out. Detailed information onthe principles, constitution, structure and operations of thevarious certification bodies (outlined below in the next section)was also felt to be much needed.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION WHEN BUYING HALAL MEATThe focus group participants reported that the primary sourceof information when buying Halal meat was members of theirfamily, especially recommendations on which butcher to use.Second and third generation consumers were, therefore,using the same butcher as their parents and one who knowsthe family well.

18

Word of mouth within the Muslim communities is also animportant source of information, with members of thecommunity discussing which supermarkets, takeaways andproducts to use and whether they are Halal. Friends wouldalso discuss where to shop for the cheapest deals on freshmeat.

Imams and other religious leaders have influence and giveadvice and make recommendations. Two members ofdifferent groups in London reported that their local Imam haddeclared that HFA-approved meat was not Halal because ofthe stunning issue and that both had stopped using HFA-certified sources. The internet was used as a source ofinformation to check the validity of certification bodies andin this connection the HFA was again singled out.

Awareness of Halal certification bodiesTo test awareness of the various certification bodies amongthe focus groups, logos were presented. There was universalawareness of the word Halal written in Arabic

Awareness and recognition of the logos of the certificationbodies varied. Most had seen the HMC logo, recognised bytwo thirds of the groups; about half recognised the HFA logo.

Knowledge of the organisation was, however, low: mostperceived HMC to be the longest-established certificationbody and knew that businesses had to pay to be HMC-certified. Few people know what the initials stand for, where itbased or who runs the organisation.

Even less is known about the HFA, other than it acceptsstunning before slaughter; one respondent volunteered theorganisation originated in Malaysia.

Two further logos were presented: those of the EuropeanHalal Development Agency and of the Muslim JudicialCouncil. A handful of people only thought they might haveseen the EHDA logo previously, but could not be sure. No-oneclaimed to have seen the MJC logo before.

Opinion was divided on whether the logo of a certificationbody carried more weight or inspired more trust than theword Halal in Arabic. While some felt it prudent to trust thestamp of a Muslim-run body because it implied that someform of audit had taken place to authenticate the productsand were confident that Muslims would ‘do the right thing’,others felt that the word Halal is sufficient assurance. Thismay be due to the relatively low profile and lack ofawareness of the certification bodies.

There was also some feedback that the word Halal in Arabicis over-used, with respondents claiming to have seen it onpackets of corn flakes and on cucumbers.

Others were prepared to nominate other bodies or individualsthey would trust to provide Halal certification, such as:

• Local Imams

• Respected Muslim clerics(Dr Zakir Naik was mentioned by name)

• The Food Standards Agency

• The Muslim Council of Britain

• The Council of Mosques

However, no-one in any of the focus groups named ormentioned any other Halal certification body.

Non-Muslim retailer assurancesFollowing the discussions on Halal certification bodies, thegroups were asked to consider what reassurances theywould look for when buying Halal products from a non-Muslim store such as a supermarket. Despite the fact that inresearch among butchers and in the quantitative researchamong consumers that people do not currently pay muchattention to accreditation certificates, a majority of focusgroup respondents said they would look for those

The Halal MonitoringCommittee Logo

The HalalFood Authority Logo

The European Halal DevelopmentAgency Logo

The Muslim JudicialCouncil Logo

accreditation certificates to be prominently displayed. BothHMC and HFA certification were mentioned spontaneously.

Positive word of mouth recommendation or assurance withinthe community would also be a factor: if other Muslims orfamily and friends give assurance that a store is sellingauthentic Halal products, that would be taken on trust.

When asked about on-pack labelling, respondents wouldprefer to see both Halal in Arabic and a certification stamp(despite their low awareness of the latter). They alsosuggested a list of ingredients would be useful to check therewas no gelatine, pork or alcohol contained in the product andthe country of origin or manufacture would be welcome.

A few respondents said they would like to see pre-packedmeat and chicken state whether the meat was stunned ornon-stunned, but this was not universally supported.

The presence of Muslim staff in-store would give reassurancefor some respondents while others would prefer to shop instores which did not sell pork or alcohol. A few questionedhow it is possible for large multiple chains with centralsourcing policies to have some branches which are Halal andothers which are not and would want clarification beforemaking a Halal purchase.

Halal butcher reassuranceBy contrast to needing reassurances on Halal purchases fromsupermarkets and other non-Muslim stores, none of the focusgroup consumers felt the need to seek reassurance whenbuying meat from a Halal butcher since there was aninherent trust, established through custom over many yearsor by word-of-mouth recommendation. In any case, as thebutchers are Muslim they would not be untruthful about theHalal status of their meat as this would be a sin.

Marketing CommunicationsWhen it comes to communicating with the Muslim communityabout Halal meat, the vast majority of focus grouprespondents felt the most trusted channel of communicationswould be a respected mosque leader or Muslim cleric. Inaddition, word of mouth is clearly a powerful channel. It wasevident throughout the research that Muslim communitiesdiscuss among members of their families and friends what isHalal and what is Haram and where to buy the best quality orfreshest Halal meat.

The respondents suggested the use of specialist media toconvey messages and subsequently generate positive wordof mouth. Ethnic and Islamic broadcast media such as NoorTV, Peace TV, Sunrise Radio and Radio Ramadan werementioned. Halal butchers shops themselves and otherMuslim-owned shops and restaurants were identified ascommunication channels.

In discussing marketing more fully, some respondentssuggested in-store signage in supermarkets would be usefulwhile special promotions on Halal meat and chicken onsupermarket loyalty cards would be an attractive incentive.Door-to-door leafleting and accessing schools andcommunity groups would also provide good communicationschannels.

Informational needs included listing which E-number foodadditives are Halal; where products such as organic Halaland free-range Halal are available and what they cost; and adefinitive list of Halal companies and brands published by anindependent and trustworthy organisation.

19

Purchase and consumption – a quantitative overview

ATTITUDES TO AND IMPORTANCE OF HALALThe overwhelming majority of Muslims in England – 90% -eat only meat that is Halal, and the remaining 10% eat mostlyHalal meat. There is some, but relatively little, differencebetween the generations in this adherence to eating Halalmeat: 94% of first generation Muslims eat only Halal meatcompared with 90% of second generation consumers and81% of third generation family members (Chart 1).

What constitutes Halal meat continues to be subject todebate within the Muslim communities and validating Halalmeat is determined by a number of attributes. For example,high levels of importance are attached to the fact the butcheris Muslim (Chart 2), registering 4.3 on a scale of 1 to 5 where5 is very important. While consumers also indicate they lookfor a Halal certification logo(registering 4.2 on the importancescale), of almost equally highimportance is if the shopkeepertestifies that the meat is Halal. Inother respects, Muslim consumersare concerned about convenienceand price, look for what theyconsider to be the best cuts andare moderately concerned aboutcountry of origin.

All of these factors are integralpre-requisites irrespective of howthe meat is slaughtered. When itcomes to the slaughter processitself, more than 80% ofrespondents hold the view that theanimal should be conscious at thetime of slaughter (Chart 3). A smallnumber, less than 10%, take theview that the animal should beunconscious but alive at the timeof slaughter. For nearly 40% ofrespondents, animal welfare isimportant: for a small percentageof respondents, animal welfare ismore important than whether themeat is Halal while 5% hold theview that health and safetystandards outweigh slaughtermethods.

20

The Halal Consumer (2)

0

1

2

3

4

5

Mean scores 1 = not at all important, 5 = very important

It is important thatthe butcher is Muslim

I look to see if the meatis certified Halal (logo)

If the shopkeeper saysit is Halal that is fine by me

I shop for convenience/price

I look for the piece of meatI consider to be the best

Country of origin

A

B

C

D

E

F

AB C

D E

F

Chart 2Attributes that validate meat is Halal

First Generation

Second Generation

Third Generation

%

All 76-98% 51-75% 26-50% <25% None0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Chart 1Proportion of meat/chicken consumption that is Halal(by generation)

It is important thatthe butcher is Muslim

I look to see if the meatis certified Halal (logo)

If the shopkeeper saysit is Halal that is fine by me

I shop for convenience/price

I look for the piece of meatI consider to be the best

Country of origin

A

B

C

D

E

F

Chart 3Halal slaughter process

The animal should beconcious at time of slaughter

Animal welfare is important to me

The animal should be unconciousbut alive at time of slaughter

I am not concerned about methodsof slaughter providing it adheresto health & safety standards

I am more concerned withanimal welfare than if themeat is Halal or not

A

B

C

D

E

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

B

CD

E

Which of these statements comes closest to your views?

How important are these statements to you?

When asked to statespontaneously theirunderstanding of Halal meat, 65%of respondents said that a prayeris offered at the time of using asharp knife with almost as manysaying that slaughter should be inaccordance with Shariah law(Chart 4). While between a quarterand a third of respondentsmentioned also that no otheranimals should see the slaughterand that the shopkeeper shouldconfirm the meat is Halal, 40%stated they understood the meatto be Halal if there was a Halallogo in the retail premises.

However, when prompted with aseries of showcards, respondentsshowed a degree of acceptabilitythat Halal slaughter was alsocharacterised by a range ofmethods that reflected thecustoms of a modern society.For example, when buying Halalmeat, 19% of respondentsbelieved that the animal isstunned prior to slaughter (Chart5). More believe that their Halalmeat has been slaughtered usinga mechanical knife and that theprayer being offered was by tapethan believe that the prayer wasoffered in person and knifeslaughter was hand-delivered.

Given the overwhelmingimportance of Halal meat to theMuslim communities, the researchalso sought to understand whatconstituted non-Halal (Haram)meat. For most respondents(80%), this meant the absence of aprayer (Chart 6). While 50% ofrespondents believed that havingother animals in proximity to theslaughter invalidated the meat asHalal, 45% believed that stunningthe animal before slaughterrendered the meat Haram.Interestingly, 40% believed thatbuying meat from a non-Muslimwould render the meatunacceptable.

21

Chart 5Slaughter methods used for Halal meat purchased

Prayer offered by tape

Mechanical knife slaughter

Knife slaughter acrossthe throat made in person

Prayer in person offered

Animals cannot viewslaughter of other animals

Animal is stunned

Don’t know

I am happy with any methodsof slaughter provided it is safe,clean and hygenic

Prayer not offered at all

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

A

BC

DE

F G

HI

Chart 4Understanding of Halal meat

Prayer offered at the timeof using sharp knife

Animal slaughtered inrelation to Shariah

If there is a Halal logo

No other animals cansee the slaughter

If the shopkeepersays it’s Halal

Don’t know

Other

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

AB

C

D E

F G

What is your understanding of Halal meat?

Which of the following methods is used on Halal meat you buy?

Chart 6Characteristics of non-Halal (Haram)

Prayer not offered

Other animals in proximityto slaughter

If the animal is stunned

Buying from a non-Muslim

Mechanical knife slaughter

If the shopkeeper was Muslimand said it was Halal andyou had doubts

Prayer offered by tape

Other

Don’t know

Spoken prayer by person

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

BC

DE

F

G

H I J

What does not constitute Halal meat?

The strength of such views wereexplored further by means of ascore analysis where a score of 1indicated strong disagreementand 5 strong agreement. Thisshowed (Chart 7) the strongestagreement was that Halal meatshould be slaughtered bytraditional methods and thatanimals must be fully conscious atslaughter. However, there wasalso a measure of acceptance thatHalal meat can incorporate bothtraditional methods and thoseinvolving new technology. Thelowest mean scores for attitudessuch as animals can beunconscious when slaughteredand that modern health and safetystandards outweigh theimportance of Halal suggest aneutral stance on these views.

Despite the varied interpretationsthat are held for Halal slaughter,six out of 10 Muslims believe that ifa person of Muslim faith saysmeat is Halal, then it is Halal forthe purchaser (Chart 8). Thissuggests that the apparentcomplexities associated withdetermining whether meat is Halalmay well be secondary to thesimple declaration of a Muslimand reinforces the importance ofthe role of the butcher (asindicated in Chart 2).

STUNNING: ACCEPTORSAND REJECTERSThe research went on to exploreattitudes to stunning beforeslaughter and how that comparedwith actual consumption practice.Respondents were able to bedivided into two groups where thenotion that animals could bestunned before slaughter and stillbe classified as Halal createdstunning ‘acceptors’ and stunning‘rejecters’. The overwhelmingmajority - 76% - fell into the‘rejecter’ category (Chart 9).

22

Chart 7Attitudes on Halal slaughter

Chart 8Determining Halal meat slaughter

If a Muslim saysit is Halal, it is Halal

Buy meat closestto my requirements

I know that meat is notreally Halal but I buy itbecause someone said it is

I buy it because it isconvenient/cheap

A

B

C

D

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

B

C D

Chart 9Acceptability of Halal classification using stunning techniques

Very acceptable

Fairly acceptable

Neither acceptableor unacceptable

Fairly unacceptable

Very unacceptable

A

B

C

D

E

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

AB C

D

E

STUNNING ACCEPTORS

STUNNING REJECTERS

0

1

2

3

4

5

Mean scores 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree

A

B

CD E

F

G

Which of the following general attitudes towards slaughter for Halal meat do you agree/disagree with?

Slaughtered by traditionalIslamic methods

Animals must be fully conciouswhen slaughtered

Halal meat can incorporate BOTHtraditonal and new technology

Halal meat can fully embracethe use of technologies

Halal standards were originallyintroduced for health & safelty reasons

Animals can be unconciouswhen slaughtered

Modern health & safety standardsmean Halal is less important

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A more detailed, demographic analysisof the two groups revealed nodiscernible statistical differencesbetween them for gender, age,generation, social class and ethnicityexcept for Turkish Muslims (who weresplit 50/50 between acceptors andrejecters) and among AB social classes(showing a 40/60 acceptor/rejectersplit), indicating more potential forstunning to be acceptable within thesesub-groups.

Almost one third of respondents (31%)believed they bought only non-stunnedmeat from their current supplier (Chart10) with slightly more (36%) claimingthey did not know whether their retailerprovided non-stunned meat. Onerespondent in five believed that theirretailer provided both stunned andnon-stunned meat; less than 10% wereunconcerned whether the meat wasstunned or not and even fewerbelieved their retailer sold only meatfrom animals that had been stunned.

There was, however, a markeddifference in attitude to buyingbetween acceptors and rejecters:stunning rejecters are clearly moreinclined to buy their meat fromsuppliers who sell only non-stunned ormeat or both stunned and non-stunned (Chart 11). What is significant,though, is that nearly one in four ofthese rejecters (23%) did not knowwhether the meat from their supplierhad been stunned or not. This wouldindicate that even for those who heldthe strong theological view that stunnedmeat was unacceptable, it neverthelessdid not create an absolute barrier topurchase and consumption.

23

Chart 11Attitude to supply of unstunned meat

Yes all the meat is unstunned

Both stunned/unstunnedare provided

I am not concerned whetherthe meat is stunnedor unstunned

No it does not provide anyunstunned meat

Don’t know

A

B

C

D

E

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

A B C D E

Stunning unacceptable

Stunning acceptable

Chart 10Awareness of method of slaughter

Don’t know

Yes all the meat is unstunned

Both stunned/unstunnedare provided

I am not concerned whether themeat is stunned or unstunned

No it does not provide anyunstunned meat

A

B

C

D

E

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

A

B

C

DE

Does your current butcher/supermarket/supplier provide meat that is unstunned?

Does your current meat supplier provide unstunned meat?

There are paradoxes within the views of acceptorsand rejecters over their attitude to the Islamic lawthat deems all animals must be conscious atslaughter. For example, those who believe stunningis acceptable nevertheless believe that slaughterwithout stunning – described as traditional Islamicmethods - is also acceptable (Chart 12). Equally,stunning rejecters also take the view that Halal canembrace the use of new technologies and canincorporate both traditional and new technologymethods of slaughter. Any notion that Halal is anobsolete concept of diminishing importance, evenamong acceptors of stunning, is rejected asdemonstrated by the lowest levels of agreementattached to the attitude that modern health andsafety standards render Halal less important and toany perception that Muslims are happy with non-Halal slaughter methods.

MEAT PURCHASE AND CONSUMPTIONMost Muslim consumers – 72% - buy meat at leastonce a week with one in four buying several timesa week (Chart 13). Across the generations, there isstill high purchase frequency: while third generationMuslims buy once a week much more than first andsecond generations, more than 10% of them arebuying meat several times a week(Chart 14).

24

Chart 12Attitude towards slaughter by stunning/unstunning acceptors/rejecters Slaughtered by traditional

Islamic methods

Halal meat can fully embracethe use of technologies

Halal meat can incorporate BOTHtraditional and new technologies

Halal standards were originallyintroduced for health and safety

Modern health and safety standardsmean Halal is less important

Animals must be fullyconcious when slaughtered

Animals can be unconciouswhen slaughtered

I am happy with non-Halalslaughter methods

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

%

0

1

2

3

4

5

A B C D E F G H

Stunning unacceptable

Stunning acceptable

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Daily Severaltimes

a week

At leastonce

a week

At leastonceevery

2 weeks

At leastonce

a month

Chart 13Frequency of purchase

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Daily Severaltimes

a week

At leastonce

a week

At leastonceevery

2 weeks

At leastonce

a month

First Generation

Second Generation

Third Generation

Chart 14Frequency of purchase by generation

On average how often do you purchase meat(chicken, lamb, mutton, beef and goat)?

On average how often do you purchase meat(chicken, lamb, mutton, beef and goat)?

Lamb purchase is a feature across allethnic groups (Chart 15) with half ofconsumers in most ethnic groups buyingon a weekly basis; Muslims of Indianethnicity buy lamb with less frequencythan other groups.

Beef purchase is most frequently thedomain of African, Indian, Middle Easternand Turkish ethnic groups (Chart 16).Those ethnic groups from India andPakistan buy less frequently bycomparison.

Muslim families spend more on poultrythan on other meat (Chart 17). Aroundhalf of consumers spend between £10and £30 a month on poultry; 44% spenda similar amount on lamb/mutton.

25

Chart 15Frequency of lamb purchased by ethnicity

Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi African Turkish MiddleEastern

Other

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

About once a week or more

About once a month

Buy less often/do not buy

Chart 16Frequency of beef purchased by ethnicity

Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi African Turkish MiddleEastern

Other

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

About once a week or more

About once a month

Buy less often/do not buy

Chart 17Monthly spend on meat

£0.01 - 4.99 £5 - 9.99 £10 - 19.99 £20 - 29.99 £30 - 39.99 £40 - 49.99 £50+

%

0

10

20

30

40Poultry

Lamb/Mutton

Beef

Most Muslim consumers tend to eat meat regularly (Chart 18):eight out of 10 eat meat at least most of the time with almostone in three eating meat at every meal (‘all the time’).There is no discernible difference between the generations.Lamb/mutton and chicken are most frequently consumedmeats (Chart 19); half the respondents eat neither goat norbeef.

Beef consumption is highest among Muslims of African,Middle Eastern and ‘other’ ethnicity (Chart 20).

26

Lamb Mutton Beef Chicken Goat

%

A fewtimesa day

At leastoncea day

A fewtimes

a week

At leastonce

a week

At leastonce a

fortnight

At leastonce amonthor less

Never

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Chart 19Frequency of meat consumption by type of meat

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

All the time Most of the time Occasionally

Chart 18Frequency of meat consumption

Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi African Turkish Middle Eastern Other

%

At least once a weekor more

At least oncea fortnight

At least once amonth or less

Never

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Chart 20Frequency of beef consumption by ethnicity

How often do you eat the following meats?

How often do you eat meat(chicken, lamb, mutton, beef and goat)?

There are ethnic differences apparentin mutton consumption with thoseMiddle Eastern and other ethnic groupseating mutton more often than thosefrom the Indian subcontinent, Africaand Turkey (Chart 21).

When it comes to lamb and muttonconsumption, chops and diced are themost popular cuts, with mincedlamb/mutton also featuring frequently(Chart 22).

27

Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi African Turkish Middle Eastern Other

%

At least once a weekor more

At least oncea fortnight

At least once amonth or less

Never

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Chart 21Frequency of mutton consumption by ethnicity

About once a week or more

About once a month

About once every few months

Don’t know

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Wholelamb/

mutton

Wholeleg/shoulder

of lamb/mutton

Dicedlamb/

mutton

Lamb/muttonchops

Lamb/mutton

neck

Lamb/mutton

offal

Lamb/muttonmince

(minced bybutcher)

Chart 22Frequency of lamb consumption by cut

Almost 80% of respondents buymeat fresh from the butcher’scounter with little incidence ofpre-packed/frozen purchase(Chart 23). This is a commonfeature across the generations,though second and thirdgeneration Muslims are moreinclined to buy pre-packaged onoccasions (Chart 24).

While respondents were inclinedvery much to buy fresh meat, theytend to freeze their purchases athome – 76% of respondents willfreeze fresh meat purchases atleast some of the time (Chart 25).

28

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

First Generation

Second Generation

Third Generation

Always fresh fromthe butchers counter

Whole carcass thatI butcher at home

Sometimes fresh fromthe counter and sometimespre-packaged

Always pre-packaged fresh

Pre-packaged frozen

A B C D E

A

B

C

D

E

Chart 24Fresh/packaged meat preferences by generation

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Allof them

Mostof them

Someof them

Noneof them

Chart 25Proportion of fresh purchases that are frozen

Always fresh fromthe butchers counter

Whole carcass thatI butcher at home

Sometimes fresh fromthe counter and sometimespre-packaged

Always pre-packaged fresh

Pre-packaged frozen

A

B

C

D

E

Chart 23Fresh/packaged meat preferences

Always fresh fromthe butchers counter

Whole carcass thatI butcher at home

Sometimes fresh fromthe counter and sometimespre-packaged

Always pre-packaged fresh

Pre-packaged frozen

A

B

C

D

E

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

B

C

D E

MEAT PURCHASING OUTLETSGiven the perceived importance ofHalal meat to Muslim consumers,it is little surprise that more thanhalf actively seek out Halal meatbutchers/suppliers to buy theirmeat (Chart 26) with a further 15%adding that they actively seekthose who comply strictly withHalal guidelines. There is a highdegree of trust among Muslimconsumers in their butchers:almost one in three tend to believeand trust the person selling meatand believe/trust them when theysay meat is Halal. There is a tinyminority who refuse to believe thattrue Halal meat is available.

Almost one-third of meat providedby butchers, supermarkets orother suppliers was perceived notto be stunned with a further 20%believing supply to be acombination of stunned and non-stunned meat (Chart 27).

That said, 82% of respondentsexpressed confidence that theircurrent retailer met their Halalrequirements (Chart 28). Thiswould suggest that much of theonus for meeting Halalrequirements is being divested tothe butcher and, arguably, if theretailer took steps to preserve orpromote their Halal credibility,consumers would be more likely toendorse them accordingly.

29

Chart 27Knowledge of suppliers of stunned/unstunned meat

Don’t know

Yes all the meat is unstunned

Both stunned/unstunnedare provided

I am not concerned whetherthe meat is stunned orunstunned

No it does not provideany unstunned meat

A

B

C

D

E

Chart 26General attitude towards suppliers of Halal meat

I actively seek out Halal meatbutchers/suppliers

I tend to believe/trust the personselling the meat and if they sayit’s Halal I believe/trust them

I actively seek out Halal meatbutchers/suppliers who complystrictly with Halal guidelines

I don’t believe trueHalal meat is available

None of these

Don’t know

A

B

C

D

E

F

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

B

C

D FE

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

AB

C

D E

Does your current butcher/supermarket/supplier provide meat that is unstunned?

Chart 28Confidence that retailer is meeting Halal requirements

Very confident

Fairly confident

Neither

Not confident

Not at all confident

I am not concernedthat they don’t meetmy requirements

A

B

C

D

E

F

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

AB

C

D FE

How confident are you that your main meat butcher/supermarket/supplier meets your Halal standards?

An analysis of the drivers ofsatisfaction (as expressed bymean scores on a scale of 1 to 10with very good being 10) showedthat quality of the meat soldfollowed closely by the level ofassurance (in the form of acertificate or accreditation logo)ranked highest (Chart 29).

Most Muslim consumers are tosome degree happy with theavailability of Halal meat in the UK(Chart 30).

HALAL CERTIFICATIONRecognition of the logos of Halalcertification bodies was generallylow (Chart 31). That of the HalalFood Authority (HFA) was the mostrecognised logo (by 37% ofrespondents). Further aspects ofthe research showed it to be fairlyimportant rather than veryimportant.

30

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Availability of meat in the UK

Availability of Halal meat in the UK

Veryhappy

Fairlyhappy

Neitherhappy orunhappy

Not veryhappy

Notat allhappy

Chart 30Levels of satisfaction of availabilityof meat and Halal meat in the UK

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Yes

No

Don’t know

Chart 31Recognition of accreditation logos

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Quality of meat

Level of assurance of Halal meat eg. certificate, logo

Cleanliness of shop

Price

Range of meat

Responsiveness to customer requests

Friendliness of staff

Informative eg. special offers, recommendations

Extra services eg. home delivery

Recipe cards/leaflets

Mean scores 1 = not good at all, 10 = very good

Chart 29Drivers of satisfaction of meat butcher/supermarket/supplier

EATING OUTWhen eating out, 70% of Muslimconsumers indicate they will onlyeat in Halal establishments (Chart32). A further 18% of consumerswill not eat meat if a Halalrestaurant is not available. Thisresponse is relatively uniformacross the generations (Chart 33)though second and thirdgeneration Muslims are moreinclined than those of the firstgeneration to eat at non-Halalestablishments, albeit they arelikely to choose non-meat meals.

31

Chart 33Attitudes to eating out by generation

I only eat at Halal establishments

I try to eat at Halal outlets - if notavailable I eat at non-Halal outletsbut choose non-meat meals

I am not concerned if the outletsare Halal or not and will eat Halal/non-Halal meats

I try to eat at Halal outlets - if notavailable I eat at non-Halal outletsand will eat non-Halal meat meals

A

B

C

D

Chart 32Attitudes to eating out

I only eat at Halal establishments

I try to eat at Halal outlets - if notavailable I eat at non-Halal outletsbut choose non-meat meals

I am not concerned if the outletsare Halal or not and will eat Halal/non-Halal meats

I try to eat at Halal outlets - if notavailable I eat at non-Halal outletsand will eat non-Halal meat meals

A

B

C

D

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

A

B

CD

%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

First Generation

Second Generation

Third Generation

A B C D

IN CONCLUSIONAlthough this researchestablishes the views,knowledge and understandingof the Muslim community onissues such as certificationorganisations for Halal meatand the stunning of animals,these issues are by no meansfront-of-mind orspontaneously discussed bythe Muslim community.

Our researchers had to probeto extract the views andobservations contained in thisreport, indicating that forMuslims, buying Halal meat isa cultural norm and buying itfrom Halal suppliers is anaccepted part of everyday,normal routine.

Opportunities to develop themarket further may lie inappealing to younger Muslimconsumers with a wider rangeof modern Halal products.There would appear to be alatent demand, for example,for convenience products suchas ready meals and preparedsandwiches using Halal meatsas well as a wider range of cuts.

Despite reassurances by the companies concerned that theirmenu items really are Halal, many Muslims have questionedthis. Some argue that any environment which serves non-Halal meat, pork or alcohol must be avoided by Muslimssince the environment itself is not Halal. Debates on internetforums also suggest there is some confusion among certainsections of the Muslim community about Halal slaughtermethods. Such use of internet forums and interest in fastfood chains suggests the confusion is likely to be among theyounger generation of Muslims, and it is possible that this isfuelled by debate about the varying slaughter methodsadvocated by the different certification agencies.

Halal Meat CertificationFour UK organisations were identified during this research,all of which claim to monitor, inspect and certify Halal foodand meat products. However, the organisations appear tobe working in isolation, with each offering its own specificcertification. This is not dissimilar to other sectors of theMuslim community, where it is often difficult to identify oneorganisation as the ‘official’ voice of Muslims.

The five UK organisations are:

Halal Food Authority (HFA)www.halalfoodauthority.co.uk

HFA was established in 1994 as a voluntary, ‘not for profit’organisation. It has a large web presence and claims to haveintroduced a unique system of identifying Halal meat fromnon-halal by tagging for authenticity of Halal on thecarcasees, soon after slaughter at abattoirs.

The HFA position is that monitored stunning before slaughteris permissible. It encourages the hand-slaughtering methodbut says that mechanical slaughtering can be acceptablewhere the process of slaughtering is controlled by anadequate number of licensed Muslim slaughtermen.

Halal Monitoring Committeewww.halalmc.co.uk

Established in 2003, HMC aims to regulate and at every pointinspect Halal products from the sources to the consumer. Itswebsite claims an accessible database of HMC-certifiedbutchers, restaurants and takeaways in Britain.

HMC has a blanket policy disallowing stunning in any form.

All Things Halalwww.athalal.com

All Things Halal certifies food products and foodestablishments, and claims to hold the largest up-to-dateHalal food company information online.

No information is available about preferred slaughtermethods.

32

Appendix 1

DESK RESEARCHPrior to both the qualitative and quantitative research,the results of which are contained in this report, anintensive period of thorough desk research tookplace. The findings of that desk research can bepresented under three main headings:

• Background to Halal meat in the UK

• Overview of the Muslim community in the UK

• Profiles of individual Muslim communitiesby ethnicity

HALAL MEAT IN THE UKMuslim dietary rules are set out in the Koran, whichlays down regulations relating specifically to meatconsumption and what constitutes the meat to beHalal – or lawful. Meat becomes Halal only when theanimal is slaughtered according to religiousregulation. However, ambiguities on authenticslaughtering procedures have arisen as a result ofKoranic guidelines being interpreted differently.

Muslims view the Koran, believing it to be the word ofGod, as the primary source of Islamic law. However,various schools of thought have emerged in differentparts of the Islamic world, each interpreting the Koranin their own way, according to their geographicallocation. It is this which can sometimes lead todifferences in opinion within Islam on the matter ofthe correct method of slaughter.

Leading a Halal lifestyle in the UKHalal, of course, does not apply only to rules relatingto food and alcohol but equally to matters ofbusiness, finance and indeed lifestyle in general.Many practising Muslims wish to ensure every aspectof their lifestyle is conducted in a manner which isHalal, i.e. permissible within Islam.

This has an impact on, for example, thosemainstream fast food restaurant chains which havetrialled Halal meat products in stores where there isa local demand for Halal products. The restaurantchains concerned have on the one hand attempted toreassure their non-Muslim customers that they arestill adhering to animal welfare legislation while at thesame time convincing their Muslim clientele that themeat and poultry they serve really is Halal.

The Muslim Food Board (UK)www.tmfb.net

The Muslim Food Board (UK) claims to offer consultancy andresearch as well as authentication of products for Halaal (itsspelling) consumption. Information on its website does notset out its preferred method of slaughter.

The European Halal Development Agency (EHDA)www.ehda.co.ukThe EHDA claims to have produced an advanced EuropeanHalal Standard (EHS), compiled by leading technical andreligious experts, to ensure all areas of Halal certification andauditing are covered from farm to plate and to deliver 100%Halal Assurance to the Muslim consumer. This standard issaid to reflect British EN45011 requirements.

Internationally, there appears to be two key bodies:

The World Halal Council (WHC)The WHC was established in 1999 as a federation of Halalcertifying bodies worldwide with the aim to standardise theHalal certification and accreditation process among memberorganisations representing different countries andnationalities worldwide.

European Association of Halal Certifiers (AHC)www.ahc-europe.org

This is an Islamic, independent, non-profit and non-governmental (NGO) institution with members from Belgium,Bosnia, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey andthe UK. It aims to create co-operation and facilitate activitiesamongst its member organisations and to be the referentialinstitution for Halal affairs in Europe.

OVERVIEW OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN THE UKMost of the body of research that currently exists about theMuslim community in the UK relates solely to the Pakistaniand Bangladeshi communities, as these are the largest andbest established of the Muslim groups. This is particularlytrue of any research conducted before the 2001 Census. Inaddition, given that Pakistanis and Bangladeshis account for59% of the UK Muslim population, their profiles tend to drivethe overall figures on the Muslim community.

For the purposes of this research, we have tried to unpick thiswhere we can and have specifically referred to other Muslimgroups where information relating to the smaller Muslimcommunities is available.

Population Size and Profile – 2001 CensusThe 2001 Census found that Muslims were the second largestreligious group in Britain, after Christians, with a population of1.6 million, comprising 3% of the total population.

The profile of the Muslim population at that time was asshown below. The table shows that around three-quarters ofBritish Muslims were from a South Asian background in 2001.

Later Population Estimates – Labour Force SurveyThe earliest suitable faith population estimates using theLabour Force Survey (LFS) date from 2004. While there areseveral methodological reasons why LFS data should not bedirectly compared with Census data, it is nevertheless usefulto review these later figures.

Estimates based on LFS data suggest that the total Muslimpopulation increased by half a million people (or 30%)between the third quarter of 2004 and the same period in2008, to a total of 2.4 million. The LFS estimates that the totalnumber of Muslims in Great Britain has increased steadilybetween 2004 and 2008, as follows:

33

Total Muslim PopulationSouth Asian origin

- Indian

- Pakistani

- Bangladeshi

- Other Asian

White British origin

Other White origin

(Turkish, Cypriot,Arab & Eastern European)Black origin

(predominantly of Black Africanorigin e.g. Nigeria, Somalia)Mixed origin

Chinese/other

10074

- 8

- 43

- 16

- 6

4

7

7

4

4

% of MuslimPopulationOrigins of UK Muslims

1,591,0001,172,886

- 132,566

- 686,179

- 261,380

- 92,761

63,891

117,713

107,431

65,592

60,471

Nos.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

1,870

2,017

2,142

2,327

2,422

Population nos(thousands)

Number of Muslims in Britain:Jul-Sept 2004 to 2008

n/a

+7.9

+6.2

+8.6

+4.1

% increaseyear on year

The profile produced by the LFS in 2007-8 is similar to thatof the 2001 Census, in that the Pakistani population remainsby far the largest group within the Muslim community.Bangladeshis and other South Asians account for aconsiderable proportion of British Muslims in the LFS as theydid in the 2001 Census. However, the LFS data shows arelatively high proportion of ‘Other’ ethnic groups within theMuslim population.

Population Distribution – 2001 Census figuresThe highest areas of population concentration in 2001 – byabsolute numbers and by percentage of population - areshown below.

Age Distribution – 2001 Census and 2008 LFS figuresMuslims had the youngest age profile of all the religiousgroups in Great Britain in 2001. About a third of Muslims (34%)were under 16 years of age in 2001, compared to 18% ofChristians who fell within the same age bracket.

The LFS conducted between July and September 2008produced very similar figures for the Muslim population(based on an estimated total population size of 2.42 million).

PROFILES OF INDIVIDUAL MUSLIM COMMUNITIESThe following tables are based on the 2001 Census figures

Afghans

34

Total Muslim PopulationBritish

Other White

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Other Asian

Black African

Other Black

White and Asian

Other Mixed

White and Black Caribbean

White and Black African

Black Caribbean

Chinese

Other

100

- 4

- 4

- 8

- 40

-14

- 6

- 7

- 1

- 1

- 1

-

-

-

-

- 14

% of MuslimPopulation

Origins of GB Muslims:July 2007 to June 2008

2,379

- 95

- 97

- 189

- 953

- 335

- 131

- 170

- 17

- 23

- 21

*

*

*

*

- 339

Nos(thousands)

1. Birmingham

2. Bradford

3. Tower Hamlets

4. Newham

5. Kirklees

6. Manchester

7. Waltham Forest

8. Brent

9. Ealing

10. Leicester

Muslim Areas of Concentration

140,017

75,201

71,383

59,290

39,323

35,825

32,904

32,301

31,028

30,875

Number of People

1. Tower Hamlets

2. Newham

3. Blackburn with Darwen

4. Bradford

5. Waltham Forest

6. Luton

7. Birmingham

8. Hackney

9. Pendle

10. Slough

Muslim Areas of Concentration

36.40%

24.31%

19.40%

16.08%

15.07%

14.62%

14.33%

13.76%

13.43%

13.35%

% of Population

0-15

16-34

35-64

65 and over

TOTAL

34

37

25

4

100

Muslim %Age Group

18

22

41

19

100

Christian %

25

35

34

6

100

Sikh %

21

33

39

7

100

Hindu %

0-15

16-34

35-64

65 and over

TOTAL

Age Group

12

34

49

5

100

Buddhist%

17

22

39

22

100

Jewish %

10

32

49

9

100

Other %

0-15

16-34

35-64

65 and over

TOTAL

33

37

27

4

100

Age Group Muslim %

Total Afghan Population in the UK14,876 people living in the UK recorded their placeof birth as Afghanistan in the 2001 census10,526 or 70.78% are Muslims

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

3,036

10,262

1,174

404

Population SizeAge Group

20%

69%

8%

3%

% of Afghans

Community sources now estimate that there are between40,000 and 50,000 Afghans in the UK. Most who have cometo the UK have been refugees who came in the late 1990sfollowing the emergence of the Taliban regime in 1996 andthe USA air strikes in 1998. Even before the recent conflict,around 800,000 had lost their homes as a result of droughtand the political situation.

Many people who came to the UK were from the professionalclasses and held moderate political views. With the easing ofthe political situation in Afghanistan, the UK government hasintroduced stricter controls on asylum applications fromAfghans, a package of assistance for those people whochoose to go home voluntarily, as well as enforced returns forfailed asylum seekers. Despite this, however, Afghanistanwas the fifth highest country of origin for asylum seekers in2005.

Bangladeshis

Bangladeshi migration was slightly different from Indian orPakistani migration. While many Bangladeshi men came toBritain in the mid-1960s, they waited longer to bring theirfamilies to Britain. The result was that, while some older menhave been in Britain for twenty or thirty years, their familiesmay have arrived relatively recently, with the peak phase ofmigration in the 1980s. Most Bangladeshi people in Britaincome from the rural area of Sylhet in North East Bangladesh.Their family backgrounds were in landholding or farming.Ninety two per cent of Bangladeshi people in Britain areMuslims.

According to research, Bangladeshi people had the lowestlevels of fluency in English of all the ethnic groups surveyed,with 24% claiming it as their main language. Bengali is thenational language of Bangladesh and is the main languageread among non-English speakers. The most commonspoken language is Sylheti, a dialect of Bengali spoken in theSylhet region and which is not written.

Bangladeshis are one of the most deprived communities insocio-economic terms with over 73% of the population in theDE socio–economic group. The employment rate of thecommunity as a whole is 39%, the lowest amongst all theestablished ethnic minority groups.

Bangladeshis have the largest average household size inGreat Britain at 4.46 people and households are more likelyto contain both dependent children and extended families.

35

0 to 15

16 to 24

25 to 49

50 to 59

60 to 64

65 to 72

75 and over

107,945

55,191

90,688

10,540

7,398

7,391

1,677

Population SizeAge Group

38%

20%

32%

4%

3%

3%

1%

% of Bangladeshis

Total Bangladeshi Population in the UK 283,063

1. Ealing

2. Hounslow

3. Brent

4. Harrow

5. West Midlands

6. Barnet

7. Hillingdon

8. Richmond Upon Thames

9. Greater Manchester

10. Newham

Afghan Areas of Concentration

2,459

1,357

1,129

1,021

1,019

666

551

405

390

319

No. of People

1. Tower Hamlets

2. Newham

3. Birmingham

4. Camden

5. Oldham

6. Luton

7. Hackney

8. Westminster

9. Bradford

10. Islington

Bangladeshi Areas of Concentration

65,558

21,462

20,812

12,574

9,821

7,633

5,963

5,003

4,957

4,237

No. of People

1. Tower Hamlets

2. Newham

3. Camden

4. Oldham

5. Luton

6. City of London

7. Hackney

8. Westminster

9. Islington

10. Birmingham

Bangladeshi Areas of Concentration

33.43%

8.80%

6.35%

4.52%

4.14%

3.84%

2.94%

2.76%

2.41%

2.13%

% of Population

Egyptians

Indians

People of Indian origin in the UK mainly came from theregions of the Punjab and Gujarat, with migration reaching apeak in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although there arehigh numbers of Indian Muslims in India, the majority of thosewho migrated to the UK were Hindu and Sikh. IndianMuslims in the UK mainly hail from Gujarat or East Africa (i.e.

they or their families first migrated from the Indian sub-continent to East Africa, mainly Uganda and Kenya). Thissecond group is sometimes referred to as ‘East AfricanAsians’ and they tend to have a more urban and middle classbackground.

It is also worth bearing in mind that religious affiliation withinthe Indian community is very diverse, thus it is difficult toprovide an accurate picture of the Indian Muslim community.

By the early 1990s, Asians (mostly Gujaratis or East AfricanAsians) were thought to own over 90% of the independentgrocers within the M25 and 65% nationally. These figures arenow falling as second and third generations appear to havelittle enthusiasm for carrying on with the family business andthere is increased competition from larger supermarkets.Anecdotal evidence suggests that independent pharmaciesare now the preferred retail option within the Indiancommunity.

Iranians

NB: Iran was the most popular country of origin for asylum seekers in2004 and 2005, therefore many community leaders believe the sizeof Iranian community is much larger.

One recent study found that the Iranian community was theseventh most economically successful ethnic group in thecountry.

36

Total Egyptian Population in the UK24,705 people born in Egypt in 2001 census8,317 or 33.67% were Muslims

Total Gujarati Population in the UKNo official figures but estimated to be 300-350,00013% of Indians identified themselves as Muslims in 2001

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

1,542

6,417

11,031

5,715

Population SizeAge Group

6%

26%

45%

23%

% of Egyptians

1. Westminster

2. Surrey

3. Kensington and Chelsea

4. Greater Manchester

5. West Midlands

6. Ealing

7. Barnet

8. Brent

9. Hampshire

10. Kent

Egyptian Areas of Concentration

877

760

758

719

710

674

639

634

620

588

No. of People

2001 UKPopulation

1991 UKPopulation

% Increasesince 1991

Male : FemaleRatio

Total Muslims% Muslims

1,053,411

-

-

50 : 50

62,430

13.69%

IndiaCountryof Birth

129,635

112,422

15%

50 : 50

14,534

11.21%

Kenya

32,635

-

-

51 : 49

7,740

23.72%

Tanzania

55,207

-

-

51 : 49

7,751

14.04%

Uganda

Total Iranian Population in the UK42,495 people were registered as having been born in Iranin the 2001 Census - 25,722 or 60.53% were Muslims

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

2,867

24,807

11,816

3,005

Population SizeAge Group

7%

58%

28%

7%

% of Iranians

1. Barnet

2. Greater Manchester

3. Ealing

4. Westminster

5. Kensington and Chelsea

6. West Midlands

7. Brent

8. Camden

9. Tyne & Wear

10. Surrey

Iranian Areas of Concentration

3,039

2,399

2,225

1,616

1,408

1,361

1,276

1,182

1,150

1,111

No. of People

Iraqis

Pakistanis

Pakistani people came to the UK mainly from rural areas inAzad, Kashmir and Mirpur. The first generation were a fairlyhomogeneous population, typically holding few formalqualifications. Just under one in five migrants who arrivedaged 16 or older had at least A level equivalent qualifications,while around two thirds had no formal qualifications. ManyPakistani people in Britain worked in mills and factories whenthey first arrived, and the community has been seriouslyaffected by the decline of manufacturing industry in thoseareas. Just like the Bangladeshi community, 92% ofPakistanis in Britain are Muslims.

According to research conducted in 1994, over half ofPakistani people were confident reading and understandingEnglish. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and themost common language read among older Pakistanis.However, most Pakistanis speak Urdu and Punjabi/Mirpuri asPunjabi is the regional language in the area of Pakistan fromwhich most British Pakistanis originate (Mirpuri is a localdialect of Punjabi). Indeed, those who have had less formaleducation may speak only Punjabi/Mirpuri and this is thecase for some older women.

The Pakistani community is one of the most disadvantaged inthe UK and suffers from high unemployment rates, poorhousing conditions and related health problems. People areless likely to have academic qualifications. 40% of Pakistaniwomen and 27% of Pakistani men had no qualifications in2001. One in six (16%) of the population was unemployed.The Pakistani extended family often lives together and sofamilies may be large and homes overcrowded.

In 2001, one in seven (14%) Pakistanis of working age were ina managerial or professional group but a larger proportion(23%) were in a routine or manual occupational group, thereverse of the pattern observed for most ethnic groups. Therewas also a significant gender difference, with Pakistani menof working age almost twice as likely as Pakistani women tobe in a managerial or professional occupational group. Therelatively small proportion of women classified to anyoccupational group reflected the large proportion of Pakistaniwomen of working age who were economically inactive.More than two-fifths (44%) of Pakistani women of workingage were classified as never having worked or being long-term unemployed.

Popular forms of employment for first and second generationPakistanis are independent retailers or caterers serving thecommunity, garment factories and minicab businesses.Muslim men are six times more likely than Christians or thosewith no religion to be taxi drivers. Self-employment is still verypopular within the community. Around a fifth (22%) ofPakistani people in employment are self-employed.

37

Total Iraqi Population in the UK32,231 people registered as having been born in Iraq21,961 or 68.13% were Muslims

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

3,115

18,990

7,764

2,362

Population SizeAge Group

10%

59%

24%

7%

% of Iraqis

1. Ealing

2. Westminster

3. West Midlands

4. Brent

5. Greater Manchester

6. West Yorkshire

7. Kensington and Chelsea

8. Barnet

9. Kingston upon Thames

10. Hammersmith and Fulham

Iraqi Areas of Concentration

3,043

2,026

1,865

1742

1,614

1,114

1,007

932

839

784

No. of People

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

19,292

191,956

82,565

27,371

Population SizeAge Group

6%

60%

26%

9%

% of Pakistanis

1. Bradford

2. Pendle

3. Slough

4. Birmingham

5. Luton

6. Blackburn with Darwen

7. Newham

8. Waltham Forest

9. Rochdale

10. Kirklees

Pakistani Areas of Concentration

14.54%

13.42%

12.06%

10.65%

9.23%

8.74%

8.46%

7.92%

7.71%

6.83%

% of Population

Total Pakistani Population in the UK 747,285

Somalis

The Somali community has been in the UK since the turn ofthe 20th century. Britain has historically been closelyconnected to Somalia through the colonisation of Somalilandin 1897. This led to seamen from the cities and rural areas ofSomaliland migrating to the UK to work and live in thedockland areas of London, Cardiff and Liverpool in the early20th century. Due to a shortage of jobs in this sector from the1960s onwards, many Somali seamen went to work in thesteel industry in the north of England as it expanded and theywere later joined by their wives.

However, the latest phase of migration from Somalia hasoccurred as a result of the civil war period of 1980s and1990s. Initially, these migrants were mainly women andchildren seeking asylum, but more men have since arrived.Somalis who have applied for asylum in the UK have tendedto live in cities where they already had relatives e.g. London,Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham. Others have lived inother cities and towns around the UK while awaiting theircase decisions.

The precise socio-economic profile is not known, but this islikely to be a predominantly DE audience. Research showsthat many are from professional and business backgrounds,yet there is little evidence to indicate the gradual integrationof Somalis into the British labour force. There is moreevidence of occupational and social downgrading.

Through restrictions on birth control and a cultural emphasison female fertility, Somali Muslim families tend to be large - tohave six or seven children is not unusual. New arrivals oftenhave difficulty finding somewhere to live, and take advantageof norms of family or clan obligation to move in with relatives.This in turn can lead to overcrowding which in turn can resultin ill health.

Turkish

These figures do not break down the number of Cypriotsliving in the UK who are of Greek or Turkish origin, althoughcommunity leaders estimate the Greek : Turkish ratio tobe 80:20.

Although there are no official figures, the total population whoconsider themselves to be of Turkish extraction is around200,000 people.

38

Total Somali Population in the UK43,532 Somali born people were recorded in 2001 Census

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

12,196

26,450

3,349

1,537

Population SizeAge Group

28%

61%

8%

4%

% of Somali

1. Newham

2. Haringey

3. Camden

4. Greater Manchester

5. South Yorkshire

6. Islington

7. Hammersmith and Fulham

8. West Midlands

9. Lambeth

10. Southwark

Somali Areas of Concentration

3,163

2,194

1,904

1,367

1,314

1,226

1,197

1,012

982

981

No. of People

Total Turkish Population in the UK54,088 people born in Turkey living in UK today40,397 or 74.7% are Muslims

Total Turkish Cypriot Population in the UK78,000 people born in Cyprus living in UK today17,949 or 23.11% are Muslims

0 to 14

16 to 44

45 to 64

75 and over

6,010

38,686

7,733

1,659

Population SizeAge Group

11%

72%

14%

3%

% of Turkish born

0 to 14

16 to 44

45 to 64

75 and over

4,148

32,791

27,995

12,738

Population SizeAge Group

5%

42%

36%

16%

% of Cyprus born

1. Haringey

2. Hackney

3. Enfield

4. Islington

5. Waltham Forest

6. Barnet

7. Croydon

8. Southwark

9. Hertfordshire

10 Lewisham

Turkish Areas of Concentration

8,589

7,729

6,176

3,123

1,730

1,135

931

804

756

738

No. of People

A survey of young Turks and Kurds carried out by the JosephRowntree Foundation in February 2005 found that most didnot identify themselves with the broader Muslim communityin the UK although, for some, religion was an important partof their ethnic identity.

Yemenis

39

1. Enfield

2. Haringey

3. Barnet

4. Islington

5. Hackney

6. Lewisham

7. Southwark

8. Waltham Forest

9. West Midlands

10. Hertfordshire

Cypriot Areas of Concentration

11,802

6,036

3,584

2,313

2,283

1,941

1,906

1,698

1,667

1,659

No. of People

Total Yemeni Population in the UK12,500 people said their birth places were in Yemen6,113 or 68.23% were Muslims

0 to 14

15 to 44

45 to 65

65 and over

1,435

6,967

2,596

1,502

Population SizeAge Group

11%

56%

21%

12%

% of Yemenis

1. West Midlands

2. South Yorkshire

3. Merseyside

4. Cardiff

5. Barnet

6. Greater Manchester

7. Brent

8. Harrow

9. Westminster

10. Newport

Iraqi Areas of Concentration

2,666

1,326

688

274

273

235

231

136

128

125

No. of People

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EBLEX HALAL STEERING GROUPTerms of Reference

Overall AimTo ensure that EBLEX activity in the Halal sector isappropriate and relevant to the sector based onsound science and good understanding. This willbe best achieved by ensuring that all parties involvedin the sector’s opinions are taken into account, issuesare properly understood and the correct advice ispassed on to the EBLEX board and staff. The highestquality information will always be used, duplicationwill be avoided and the advice will always takeaccount of the conditions EBLEX operates to.

Role of the Group

• To identify gaps in knowledge and:

- to determine whether the gap issufficiently important to need filling

- to determine if EBLEX resources shouldbe used to research the gap

• To recommend to EBLEX areas of activity that willbenefit the whole sector and be compatible withthe overarching aims of EBLEX

• To identify opportunities and encourageco-operation in the Halal red meat sector

• To identify key issues which are obstacles to successand development in the Halal red meat sector

Members of the EBLEX Halal Steering Group:

Simon Warren, chairman (EBLEX sector board member)

Naved Syed (Janan Meat)

Ryan Williams (EBLEX sector board member)

Adam Quinney (NFU)

Rizvan Khalid (Euro Quality Lambs)

Norman Bagley (Association of Independent Meat Suppliers)

David Mainon (Asda)

Mullan Younes (Halal Monitoring Committee)

Dr Shuja Shafi (Muslim Council of Britain)

Published by EBLEX © Copyright reserved by Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2010

Data Sources: Connect Research & Consultancy, Ethnic Focus, STRC-World

Written, designed and produced by HD Communications Ltd

EBLEXStoneleigh ParkKenilworthWarwickshireCV8 2TL

T | 024 7669 2051

www.eblextrade.co.ukwww.eblex.org.uk

EBLEX is the organisation forbeef and lamb levy payers inEngland and is a division ofthe Agriculture and HorticultureDevelopment Board (AHDB)