AN MP is calling for Halal and Kosher meat to be clearly labelled at the point of sale.
Tatton MP Esther McVey, who represents the Lymm area of Warrington, said the change was not about banning Halal or Kosher meat, but about animal welfare, transparency of the meat industry and consumer choice.
Ms McVey re-introduced her ten-minute rule Bill in Parliament, after her first attempt, which received widespread support, fell due to a lack of Parliamentary time.
The law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter unless for religious reasons, but there is no requirement on food to be properly labelled.
Ms McVey said: “Current labelling arrangements are voluntary and inconsistent. This Bill would address that gap by introducing clear and compulsory labelling. Consumers are increasingly interested in how meat is produced. For those concerned about animal welfare, whether an animal was stunned before slaughter can be a significant factor in their purchasing decisions. Equally, some people wish to know whether meat has been prepared according to a particular religious rite. None of these are unreasonable positions. The important point is that consumers should have the information they need to make an informed choice.”
The unique process of halal and kosher meat requires the animal to have its throat slit. In the case of halal meat, the animal is often stunned before it’s killed (but not always), and for the shechita killing (for kosher meat) there is no pre-stunning at all.
Government figures show approximately 1 billion animals processed in English and Welsh slaughterhouses in 2024, an estimated 215 million were slaughtered to produce halal meat. Government guidelines say meat that results from non-stun slaughter must be intended for consumption by Jews or Muslims, but analysis has shown that total meat supplied by non-stun slaughter is about four times greater than the population of Muslims and Jews in the UK. Exports of meat from the UK to the United Arab Emirates have soared.
It is claimed the lack of required labelling has led to an over production, in part because costs are less, due to a stage of the meat process, (stunning of the animal), having been removed.
In recent years, supermarkets and take-away chains as well as schools, hospitals and local councils are reported to have served halal and kosher meat without consumers’ knowledge.
Ms McVey said there was overwhelming public support for change. She pointed to figures from 2022 which showed 99 per cent of respondents to a government call for evidence over food labelling, supported mandatory labelling of the method of slaughter.
The Tatton MP criticised Labour’s animal welfare strategy for failing to address the issue, and said she believed “the overwhelming majority of animal lovers in the UK expect the House of Commons to support this, Bill.”
The Bill will return to Parliament in January.
