Food Transparency UK
Reporting on what the food industry doesn't always tell you
Consumer Information

Millions of UK diners are served halal meat without knowing it. This is a transparency issue.

Food labelling law in the UK does not require restaurants or takeaways to declare whether meat is halal or conventionally slaughtered. We believe consumers have the right to know.

~88%
of halal meat in the UK is pre-stunned
~12%
slaughtered without pre-stunning
No law
requires restaurants to declare halal status

News & Articles

Labelling
Halal meat served unlabelled in mainstream UK restaurants
An investigation into how major UK restaurant chains source and serve halal meat without informing customers at the point of sale.
The Times
Explainer
What does halal mean, and what does it mean for UK food?
A factual breakdown of halal certification, stunning practices, and what the label does and doesn't tell consumers.
The Guardian
Policy
MPs demand clearer labelling of halal and kosher meat
Parliamentary debate on whether consumers should be told on menus and packaging if food has been produced using religious slaughter methods.
BBC News
Animal Welfare
RSPCA position on religious slaughter and consumer labelling
The RSPCA's official stance on non-stun slaughter, its prevalence in the UK food chain, and the case for mandatory labelling.
RSPCA
Regulation
FSA guidance on religious slaughter in the UK
The Food Standards Agency's official guidance on the rules governing halal and kosher slaughter, exemptions from stunning requirements, and oversight.
Food Standards Agency
Investigation
How much of Britain's meat supply is halal — and do we know?
An examination of the scale of halal meat production in Britain, the supply chains involved, and gaps in consumer awareness.
The Telegraph

Key Facts

⚖️

No mandatory menu labelling

UK law does not require food outlets to state whether meat is halal or kosher on menus, packaging or signage. This is a consumer information gap.

🐄

Stunning is not universal

While most halal meat in the UK involves pre-stunning, a significant proportion is slaughtered without it. Halal certification bodies differ on whether stunning is permissible.

📋

HMC vs HFA

The Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) prohibits pre-stunning. The Halal Food Authority (HFA) permits it. These are distinct certifications with different standards.

🏛️

Religious exemptions in law

The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations (WATOK 2015) exempt religious slaughter from the requirement to stun animals before killing.

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FSA open data

The Food Standards Agency publishes a register of all UK food establishments. This data is public, though it does not include halal or slaughter method information.

🗳️

Consumer surveys

Multiple surveys have shown the majority of UK consumers believe they should be told if food is produced using religious slaughter methods, regardless of their personal views.

Video Reports

The following videos contain footage and commentary related to slaughterhouse practices. Some content may be distressing. Viewer discretion is advised.

⚠ Graphic content — age verification required on YouTube

Inside a UK halal abattoir — investigative documentary

Filmed at T&S Abattoir Ltd, Old Arley, near Coventry, England. July 2024.

MPs debate mandatory halal meat labelling in parliament

House of Commons discussion on food transparency and consumer rights around religious slaughter disclosure.

About This Site

Food Transparency UK is an independent information resource. We do not represent any political party, religious group, or commercial interest. Our purpose is to aggregate publicly available information about food labelling, slaughter practices, and consumer rights in the United Kingdom.

We link to external articles, official bodies, and publicly available video content. We do not produce or host original investigative footage.

We believe all consumers — regardless of their dietary choices or beliefs — deserve accurate information about how their food is produced.

Disclaimer: All linked articles are the property of their respective publishers. Video content is hosted on YouTube and subject to their terms of service and age restrictions. Statistics cited are sourced from UK government bodies and peer-reviewed research. This site does not endorse any commercial product or service.