It has emerged that a large amount of meat that is sold in the UK on the open market is slaughtered according to halal customs, despite it often not being labelled as such. Industry estimates indicate that 40% of poultry and 25-30% of lamb sold in the UK meets halal food specifications.
Animal welfare groups claim that consumers need to be made aware of how the meat they are eating is being killed, however labelling would also be useful for Muslims as it would give them a better indication of what meats they are able to eat.
Data published by the Meat Hygiene Service suggests that around 90% of UK Halal slaughter involves pre-stunning, however this does not violate halal practices as the stunning is reversible.
Dave Harrison, regional manager for Europe for Beef and Lamb New Zealand, acknowledged this when stating "The [method] we use is acknowledged. We believe it balances animal welfare requirements with religious needs."