Attitudes of the public towards halal food and associated animal welfare issues in two countries with predominantly Muslim and non-Muslim populations

Abstract

Halal food is that which is permissible or lawful for Muslims to consume. Meat products must abide by a number of requirements in relation to their preparation, condition and content to be considered halal. We conducted a survey in order to assess the knowledge of, and attitudes towards, halal meat products in two contrasting countries, one with a majority non-Muslim population (Australia, respondent n = 565), where the most commonly followed religion is Christianity, and one with a majority Muslim population (Malaysia, n = 740). The most common reasons for avoiding halal food were animal welfare, religion and meat quality. Malaysians generally believed that halal processes led to improved meat quality, whereas Australians did not. The general consensus was in favour of legally controlling animal welfare during slaughter, supported by both Muslims and Christians. Malaysians were more aware of the main tenets of halal slaughter than Australians. However, some non-compulsory, incorrect practices were thought to be required practices by respondents in both countries, but especially in Australia. Muslims were more concerned about humane treatment of animals during halal slaughter. They generally believed that stunning is never allowed and that this view was acceptable, whereas people from other belief systems generally held the view that this was unacceptable. Religion and education were the most common factors associated with attitudes, beliefs and consumer habits concerning halal. Information from this study can help to improve understanding of attitudes to halal and provide insights to policy makers seeking to address animal welfare concerns.

A Review of Legal Regulation of Religious Slaughter in Australia: Failure to Regulate or a Regulatory Fail?

“…A similar lack of understanding of the facts and requirements for halal slaughter was also found in the UK amongst veterinary students, a group that we might expect to be well-informed [101]. Australians were also likely to believe that Imams must approve all halal meat, and that the slaughterer must completely sever the animal's head, neither of which are required, with the latter being expressly forbidden [11]. The same study also found that the small number of Jewish participants in the study were opposed to the slaughter of conscious animals for religious purposes, despite the fact that stunning is not permitted under shechita.…”

“…The requirements of kosher and halal slaughter from both religious law, and regulatory perspectives, are poorly understood by most Australians. For example, most halal-certified abattoirs in Australia use reversible stunning, but a 2016 study found that the majority of Australians surveyed believed that stunning is never allowed in halal slaughter [11]. A similar lack of understanding of the facts and requirements for halal slaughter was also found in the UK amongst veterinary students, a group that we might expect to be well-informed [101].…”

“…Whilst there is a dearth of empirical data, there is a suggestion, based on limited research [11] and online sources, that the Australian public may misunderstand the process of religious slaughter and the law surrounding it in the Australian states and territories [44,45]. Many believe that religious slaughter always or mostly occurs without pre-stunning, and hence that these practices raise considerable concerns with regard to animal welfare [44].…”

“…While religious slaughter is not a new practice in Australia, it has recently attracted public concern regarding questions of animal welfare following unfavourable media coverage [10]. However, the details of religious slaughter practices, including animal welfare provisions, are poorly understood by the Australian public [11], and no existing literature concisely synthesises current regulations, practices, and issues. This paper addresses this gap by examining the processes associated with various types of religious slaughter and animal welfare issues that arise, as well as briefly addressing public views and highlighting areas for further research, particularly in Australia.…”

Determinants of Intention to Purchase Halal Cosmetic Products: A Study on Muslim Women in West Malaysia

“…The new term of Halal cosmetics was urbanised in recent years, yet some of the Muslims in Islamic countries including Malaysia are still unfamiliar with these Halal cosmetic products as they only recognise the Halal term just for food and beverage products; not for cosmetic and healthcare products. Previous research has been carried out by Ajitha and Sivakumar (2017), Ambali and Bakar (2014), Aziz and Wahab (2013), Jalil et al (2018), and Ruslan et al (2018) on Halal food, but lack of study is focused on Halal cosmetic products which currently catch the purchasers' and manufacturers' attention.…”