Industry News

Is organic and local halal? People are more concerned about the origins of their food than ever before, and halal consumers are no exception.

In a recent column, Shelina Janmohamed of Ogilvy & Mather (a well-known American media group) explained why people care about brands.

If you really want to talk to halal consumers, then you first need to understand what the term “halal” means.

In layman's terms, "halal" refers to the meat of animals slaughtered according to Islamic law and items that comply with Islamic law, which is similar to Jewish law but not exactly the same.

The products are also prohibited from using ingredients that are prohibited to Muslims, such as alcohol and pig derivatives. Halal means "permitted", and the opposite is non-halal, which means "prohibited".

Muslims speak of halal in a broad sense, using the term "goodness," which essentially means that products should demonstrate purity from the moment they are produced to the moment they are consumed, with consideration and kindness towards animals and the environment at every stage of production.

As the world has moved towards mass production in recent decades, moving away from traditional farming methods and local goods, Muslims, like other consumers, are increasingly concerned about whether their products are ethically sourced and organic, which Muslims consider to fall under the broader concept of halal.

However, considering that a complete product market is too large to cover in a short article, we will focus on the most basic foods.

There’s another reason for this: when we researched Muslims’ perceptions of the Islamic friendliness of a range of well-known brands, food and beverage-related brands topped the list.

Muslims believe that what they put into their bodies will directly affect their spiritual lives. This is why Muslim consumers are so concerned about ensuring that what they consume is halal.

Brands should take note: the halal market is worth approximately $500 billion annually and is growing.