An industry-wide halal certification scheme could be back on the agenda in response to growing calls for more transparency for consumers.
Proposals to introduce a Halal Standard Mark - in a similar vein to the QSM beef and lamb standard schemes - were first floated by AHDB Beef & Lamb in 2013. However, the plans did not proceed after an industry consultation because there was no clear mandate from the meat sector, said AHDB head of global supply chain Phil Hadley.
But given the number of competing accreditation bodies in the halal sector - including a new Traditional Halal scheme launched by the Halal Food Authority earlier this month - the time might now be right to look at the proposals again, Hadley suggested. Clarity on standards was also key with a view to driving exports of UK-made halal products, he added.
“The original plans didn’t proceed as there was no consensus about whether such a quality mark would be of benefit to the sector, whether it would enable consumer recognition and if it should contain information on whether an animal was stunned or not,” he said. There was also uncertainty over whether the EU would impose its own mandatory labelling rules, he added.
“But the world has now moved on,” with a greater push for transparency of labelling and better customer information, Hadley said.
“AHDB is planning a halal seminar for 2017, and we’ll be looking into whether there is a desire to have this dialogue on creating a Halal Standard Mark again, and if there has been a coming together of opinion on the matter or a further polarisation.
“Export categories like halal lamb are only going to grow, and we will need to meet international halal standards to fully exploit these markets.”
No comments yet