Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
Overview of Algeria's Halal Market Economy
2025-05-15
Algeria, with a population of nearly 43 million, is one of the countries on the northern coast of the African continent overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The country, whose population is almost entirely Muslim, is a member of both the OIC and SMIIC. The Algerian Institute for Standardization (IANOR) represents the country at SMIIC.
Algeria's economy is largely state-led, with hydrocarbons being the mainstay of the country's economy, accounting for approximately 30% of Algeria's GDP, 60% of budget revenue, and 95% of export earnings. However, in recent years, due to falling oil prices, the Algerian government has begun implementing various economic policies to build a growing structure in sectors other than hydrocarbons.
Halal certification activities
IANOR, in accordance with Articles 2 and 4 of the Council of Ministers Decree of June 14, 2016, which regulates the Algerian halal certification system, decided to create a halal brand to ensure safe access to these products for consumers and allow Algerian companies to gain a greater share of the global halal food market. The Algerian Halal brand aims to ensure the traceability of halal products produced by Algerian companies and guarantee the authenticity of these products to consumers.
Halal Brand is a unique national collective brand owned by IANOR that guarantees compliance with the Algerian standards that define the requirements for halal products. These standards are based on those of the SMIIC Institute of Standards and Metrology, a partner organization of the OIC, and other existing standards.
While the Halal brand was designed within the framework of a consultative committee that brought together all stakeholders, it also aims to ensure strict compliance with the rules of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Halal certification regulations.
This approach aims to make the halal brand a national trademark and build international recognition to help Algerian companies explain the halal nature of their products around the world.
The Halal brand certification process is divided into the following stages:
The applicant organization is audited by a team of two auditors (IANOR), consisting of an expert in food safety or good manufacturing practices and an expert in religious affairs.
Depending on the nature of the product or the requirements of the inspection team, samples are submitted to IANOR authorized laboratories for analysis.
If the inspection report is positive, the applicant has the right to attach Halal branding to the relevant products at the same time as certification.
Two surveillance audits are conducted in the first and second years after certification, and renewal is conducted after three years to ensure this right of use is maintained.
Algeria has established a Halal Certification and Halal Branding Follow-up Committee, whose members include representatives from the Pasteur Institute of Algeria, the Ministries of Commerce, Agriculture, Industry, Health, and Religious Affairs, and other relevant public institutions and organizations. In addition to the Halal certification process, the Halal Certification and Halal Branding Follow-up Committee, which reviews and provides comments on applicable regulations in the Halal food sector, will also review the approval of Halal conformity assessment bodies authorized by the official authorities of the exporting country for imported products. Algeria also hopes to initiate a process of mutual recognition of Halal documents with international Halal certification and conformity assessment organizations to facilitate access to international markets for its products.