While it is a legal requirement for abattoirs to stun animals before they are killed, there is an exemption for Jewish and Muslim ritual slaughter. Around 12% of halal slaughter is currently performed without pre-stunning, said Farmers Guide. What is more, Food Standards Agency figures “show non-stun slaughter for halal is rising”.
Responding to the petition, the government said it “encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter and would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter”, but also “respects the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs”.
Halal slaughter is intended to be a humane, ethical and hygienic method of dispatching animals raised for consumption, yet the practice, which traditionally does not include the animal being pre-stunned, has consistently been criticised by animal-welfare groups as unnecessarily cruel.
What is halal?
Halal is a word regularly used to refer to food, specifically the slaughter and preparation of meat, by non-Muslim people. But its meaning is more far-reaching.
“Halal” translates as “permissible” in Arabic, and refers to any action or behaviour that is allowed in Islam, including what types of meat and methods of preparation are acceptable. Conversely, “haram” refers to impermissible or unlawful actions.
Halal meat is a key element of Islamic dietary laws, covering not only the types of animal that can be consumed by practising Muslims but also the way in which those animals are killed.
How are animals killed to prepare halal meat?
God’s name must be invoked in a one-line blessing called the Tasmiyah, said before any slaughter. British Halal Food Authority slaughtermen use the most common version, “Bismillahi-Allahu Akbar” (In the name of Allah the greatest).
Reciting a short blessing beginning with “bismillah” (in the name of Allah) is a prerequisite for Muslims before embarking on any significant task.
The Islamic method of killing an animal for meat is called zabiha. After reciting the blessing, the slaughterman uses a surgically sharp instrument to cut the animal’s throat, windpipe and the blood vessels around its neck. The blood is then allowed to drain from the body.
Only one animal can be ritually slaughtered at a time and the other animals must not witness any death.
Is halal slaughter more painful for animals?
Outside religious use, non-stunned slaughter was widely abandoned in the 20th century and is increasingly perceived as cruel. But non-stunned slaughter continues to be permitted for religious purposes, and the question of whether it is more or less humane than other forms is a matter of debate.
Some studies suggest religious slaughter can be as “humane as good conventional slaughter methods” when performed “properly”, said the Islamic Services of America.
Animal-health experts and campaigners disagree. The RSPCA argues that killing animals without stunning them causes them to “experience suffering and distress”, and has urged the UK government to ensure all animals are unconscious when slaughtered.
The British Veterinary Association calls for all animals to be effectively stunned before slaughter because of the “pain, suffering and distress” experienced during the cut and bleeding
How is halal meat regulated?
Both European and UK law “requires animals to be stunned before being killed”, though there are exemptions for religious slaughter in approved abattoirs, said the BBC.
The British government has repeatedly resisted pressure from animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA to outlaw halal slaughter without pre-stunning. It has also opposed EU measures that require meat to carry labels confirming whether it came from animals that had been stunned before slaughter, despite a 2021 poll finding more than 70% of Brits support this.
In a June 2025 Westminster Hall debate, “many MPs – including those who object to a ban on non-stun slaughter – did support mandatory labelling for non-stun meat”, said the National Secular Society.
Independent MP Shockat Adam said it was his “firm conviction that many Muslim communities support clear, accurate labelling”. Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi said that while a lot of opposition to halal was not about “animal welfare” but “prejudice, plain and simple”, she was “very happy” for halal meat to be labelled as such.
How widespread is halal meat in the UK?
Awal Fuseini, senior sector manager at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, told Farmers Weekly that the halal meat market in the UK is one that farmers and processors can no longer ignore.
“Even though Muslims represent just 6.5% of the population, currently, 72% of the sheep slaughtered in England and Wales are killed according to halal processes”, as well as 56% of goats, 5% of calves and 4% of cattle.
According to a report, by the Halal Monitoring Committee and the University of Huddersfield featured on Islamic economy insights platform Salaam Gateway, the UK’s halal meat industry is valued at £1.7 billion and is expected to swell to almost £2 billion by 2028.
Globally, the halal meat industry is worth more than $4.5 billion, according to the Halal World Institute, and the “increasing Muslim populace globally is significantly contributing to the marketplace’s increase”.
