Country: UNITED KINGDOM, IRELAND
A guide detailing which supermarkets sell halal meat is now available as part of the Operation Nehemiah campaign.
The guide is based on information provided by supporters who have forwarded statements by supermarkets across Britain. The data is subject to change and clarification, but we hope it will offer helpful guidance to those who choose to avoid eating meat slaughtered according to Islamic law.
The information underlines Operation Nehemiah's concerns that most New Zealand lamb on our shelves is halal and that some supermarkets are not seriously addressing the need for proper labelling. However, we can at least say that some supermarkets, such as Waitrose, are providing non-halal alternatives, while stores such as Morrisons, Co-operative and Marks & Spencer confirm that all their fresh meat (with the exception of New Zealand lamb) is not halal.
Operation Nehemiah has also produced a guide listing halal certification agencies in UK and Ireland. These agencies inspect slaughterhouses, normally for a fee, to ensure that their meat is being slaughtered, packaged and transported according to Islamic law. Details of the products they inspect and the food outlets they certify are provided, and we have indicated whether the agency requires stunning or non-stunning.
We offer this guidance after a long-standing member of the General Synod called on the Church Commissioners, who manage the Church of England's £4 billion assets, to withdraw their investments in supermarkets that do not clearly label halal food.
Alison Ruoff said:
The Church is only just waking up to this. We have been pathetic and mealy-mouthed but we should be really concerned.
There is a lot of fear about upsetting Muslims but as a Christian you have to stand up for Christian values. Because we are unwittingly eating halal meat, we are spreading the practice of sharia law.
The Daily Mail reported this week that the Church of England has also told some church schools to ensure they are offering non-halal food after concerns were raised that a number are providing only meat slaughtered according to Islamic law.
