Britain 's biggest supermarket chains are selling halal lamb and chicken without telling unsuspecting shoppers. None of the major supermarkets tell shoppers whether their lamb is ritually slaughtered, even when a Muslim slaughter man is intoning 'Bismillah Allah-hu-Akbar' (meaning 'In the name of Allah, who is the greatest') over each animal killed.
Apparently, no beef sold is halal, it seems! But 5% of chicken sold in Tesco is halal as is 35% of the store's UK lamb. None of it is labelled as such. The Co-op is the same. Asda are dumping halal chicken and lamb onto their fresh meat counters and the majority of frozen New Zealand lamb is halal.
Only M&S and Morrisons guarantee their fresh meat to be non-halal, but even they do not label their N.Z. frozen as halal.
NEW ZEALAND LAMB IS 70% HALAL
The reason is that New Zealand supplies a growing Muslim consumer base in the Middle and Far East. Ironically, it was the New Zealanders who developed the 'pre-stun' method of slaughter, rendering the animal unconscious by electric shock, rather than by a captive-bolt pistol, which is very 'haram' (forbidden).
TESCO AND THE CO-OP Tesco were initially reluctant to admit they sold any halal meat at all. None of their meat is labelled properly and no clear statement has so far been made to establish what is halal and what is not.
Tesco were initially reluctant to admit they sold any halal meat at all.
The Co-op, who also own Somerfield, were a little clearer. Their New Zealand lamb is definitely halal, but is not labelled. A spokesman told Christian Voice that it was impossible to assume that other meat not labelled halal was not in fact halal. Christian Voice no longer bank at the Co-op (!), and we cannot buy lamb there any more either. Nor at Somerfields or Tesco.
WAITROSE A Waitrose spokeswoman said in her first statement: 'You mentioned the [Islamic] prayer said at the point of slaughter. This applies to all our lamb but not to beef or poultry.' So Waitrose is out as well, unless you want to buy HRH's expensive Duchy range in Waitrose and are prepared to overlook the dishonesty of all their other lamb labelling.
MARKS & SPENCER – ALL FRESH MEAT IS NON-HALAL
Marks and Spencer confirmed in a statement that their New Zealand lamb was (a) pre-stunned, (b) halal slaughtered and (c) not labelled as such. They also said: 'No meat sourced by M&S from the UK is halal.' 'With the exception of New Zealand lamb, none of our meat or poultry is slaughtered in accordance with any religious practices. We understand that for some there may be a religious or moral objection to New Zealand lamb, so we're able to offer UK sourced lamb as an alternative. The country of origin of all M&S meat is clearly labelled on the packaging.'
It is very good that M&S have recognized the religious dimension, but they should still label their New Zealand lamb as ‘halal’ or ‘ritually-slaughtered’.
ASDA HAVE A MUSLIM SLAUGHTERMAN Asda have now admitted that much of their lamb and chicken is slaughtered according to Islamic ritual. A company source said: 'It's fair to say that most lamb is halal and I would say half of the chicken is halal.'
THE TAHIRA CONNECTION
Turning briefly to the brand-label market, the three main companies supplying specialist halal meat to supermarkets are Hilton Food Group, who supply Shahada (which means a declaration, such as the Islamic assertion 'There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger' or the prayer said by the slaughterman), National Halal and Tahira Foods Ltd. Tahira means 'pure of heart' or just 'purity'. Hilton, who employ 1,500 people across five European sites, supply Tesco with pre-packed meat in trays with the green 'Shahada' label.
IN THE MEANTIME, If you object to halal meat you may want to boycott New Zealand lamb, and all lamb in Asda, the Co-op, Tesco, Somerfield, Waitrose and Sainsbury. Only M&S and Morrisons fresh meat is all guaranteed non-halal.
MORRISONS FRESH LAMB IN THE CLEAR
All Morrisons beef, fresh lamb, fresh British chicken and frozen chicken is non-halal. 'If a customer is concerned, they can be reassured that all of our fresh meat is not halal. The interest in this subject has resulted in us reviewing our labelling policy.' The review of the labelling policy at Morrisons is very good news. New Zealand lamb should be labelled as 'Halal' or 'may be halal'.
SAINSBURY NOT LABELLED
A Sainsbury's spokesman told the Mail: 'The abattoirs that supply us with lamb are licensed by the Muslim authorities and a prayer is said when the animals are killed.' Sainsbury's lamb is certainly halal enough to warrant us shopping somewhere else. What about their other meat? We do not know.
LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
Asda spoke about meeting their 'legal obligations,' but it seems the legal obligations do not compel stores to honestly label their ritually-slaughtered meat as 'halal'. The supermarkets seem very reluctant to tell shoppers what they are buying.
Supermarkets and fast-food outlets do not feel the need to tell customers their meat is halal because the slaughter conforms to Western standards, with animals stunned before being killed. That does not excuse blatant lies being told to researchers. But even then, the RSPCA has raised concerns about the way chicken is killed in Islamic abattoirs because the birds are stunned with a weaker electric current, which does not guarantee unconsciousness during slaughter.
Many Christians and those of other faiths may well object to the Muslim slaughter man chanting 'Bismillah Allah-hu-Akbar' as he cuts the animals' throats. Sikhs, for instance, are forbidden to eat halal under any circumstances. Quite apart from the animal welfare considerations, in a religious sense it means that the animal has been sacrificed to Allah, the god of Islam.
In schools, children do not have a choice at all, and the parents of some children may strongly object to halal ritually-slaughtered meat in the increasing number of schools turning to halal meat.
ISLAMIC CREEP
There are three issues here,
Firstly, there is the matter of humane killing. A spokesman for one of the supermarkets assured us their over-riding concern was animal welfare. They have gone out of their way to assure the animal rights lobby on that point, although the RSPCA are not yet satisfied.
Secondly, is the subject of the Islamic declaration, the shahada, being said by the slaughterman. If the shahada is pronounced, even with pre-stunning, the meat is halal enough to offend those of other faiths.
Thirdly, even if people are not bothered by what is said as their Sunday roast faces the butcher's knife, there is the growing problem of Islamic creep.
Why are the supermarkets demanding,, or at the very least accepting, that halal lamb in particular be foisted on their customers, 95% of whom are non-Muslim, instead of providing specialist authentic halal products clearly labelled as such in areas where there is a demand? How long will it take at this rate before every slaughter man in Britain is a Muslim?
READ: Lev 19:4; Psalm 96:5; Isa 2:18; Zech 13:2; Mark 7:18-23; Acts 21:25; 1Cor 8:1-13, 10:18-28; Rev 2:14.20. Also read the Bible Article: Halal Meat - What is the Christian Position?
WRITE: To your MP at House of Commons, LONDON , SW1A 1AA . Ask him to press for honest labelling of halal ritually-slaughtered meat.
PRAY: That honest labelling will be brought in and that the demand for halal meat will evaporate as more people realise what they are being offered and refuse it.
IN THE MEANTIME, Those of us who do object to halal meat may find it appropriate to boycott New Zealand lamb, and all lamb in ASDA, the Co-op, Tesco, Somerfield, Waitrose and Sainsbury.
WRITE OR EMAIL to:
Asda, Chief Executive: Mr Andrew Clarke,
Asda House, Great Wilson Street , Southbank, LEEDS, Yorkshire , LS11 5AD
Phone: 0113 243 5435, Email: andy.clarke@asda.co.uk
Co-operative Group, (who own Somerfield) Chief Executive, Mr Peter Marks,
New Century House, Corporation Street , MANCHESTER , M60 4ES
0161 834 1212, Email: peter.marks@co-operative.coop
Marks & Spencer, Chief Executive: Mr Marc Bolland,
Waterside House, 35 North Wharf Road , LONDON , W2 1NW
020 7935 4422, Email: marc.bolland@marks-and-spencer.com
Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC, Chief Executive: Mr Dalton Philips,
Hilmore House, Gain Lane , BRADFORD, Yorkshire , BD3 7DL
01274 261000, 0845 611 6111, Email: dalton.philips@morrisonsplc.co.uk
Sainsburys PLC, Chief Executive: Mr Justin King,
33 Holborn, LONDON , EC1N 2HT
020 7695 6000, 0800 636262, Email: justin.king@sainsburys.co.uk
TESCO, Chief Executive: Mr Terry Leahy,
Tesco House, Delamare Road , Cheshunt, WALTHAM CROSS, Hertfordshire , EN8 9SL
01992 632222, 0800 505555, Email: terry.leahy@tesco.com (or terry.leahy@uk.tesco.com )
Waitrose, Managing Director: Mr Mark Price,
Doncastle Road , Southern Industrial Area, BRACKNELL , Berkshire , RG12 8YA
01344 424680, Email: mark_price@waitrose.co.uk
(Please let us know of any errors or improvements to the above)
Tell the stores and your MP that you object to halal meat not being labelled as such. Let them know the issue is not just that of animal welfare, important as that is, but the Islamic dedication ('shahada') said at the point of slaughter. Ask MP's for a labelling regulation to be passed.
Ask the Supermarkets to label clearly all and any halal meat in their stores, including frozen New Zealand lamb and any halal chicken imported from Thailand . Why are some of them dishonestly passing off halal meat as non-halal? Paradoxically, if this halal meat is not labelled 'halal' the Muslims won't buy it anyway. So why stock it? Why not just source lamb and chicken from non-halal slaughterhouses?
from: SECRET HALAL MEAT SALE 27/11/10
www.christianvoice.org.uk/Press/press167.html