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.
The European halal market is worth approximately US$30 billion
2025-05-15
The European halal market is an increasingly important food sector. According to industry analysts, it has grown at an average annual rate of 15% over the past few years. Today, the Muslim population in the EU is approximately 20 million.
Currently, the largest Muslim country in Europe is France (approximately 4.7 million), whose halal market is valued at approximately $8 billion. In this context, France is considered the center of the European halal market.
While the European halal market is substantial, generating an estimated $30 billion in annual sales, it is fragmented. Muslims in France primarily originate from North Africa, those in the UK from the Indian subcontinent, and those in Germany from Turkey. The Muslim population in the Netherlands primarily originates from Morocco, Turkey, and Indonesia. These regional differences reflect heterogeneous demand, which must be considered when identifying potential export markets for each country.
Halal foods have been on European shelves for some time, but marketing efforts, including television advertising, have been underway over the past three to four years. This has led to further growth in the halal market with the introduction of new retail products. Supermarkets, hypermarkets, and other specialty chains are now dedicating more shelf space to these products. While halal foods currently sold primarily focus on meat and prepared foods, demand for grocery products has been increasing. Historically, grocery product offerings have been fairly basic. However, new products such as processed foods, confectionery, and frozen ready meals have begun to enter the European market.
Halal is often seen as a certification of credibility, but it is not strictly a sanitary or phytosanitary requirement. For example, in France, the government is only involved in halal certification to a certain extent; it has designated three major halal companies as the sole distributors of halal slaughter. Otherwise, the government remains detached from the regulation and enforcement of halal-labeled foods.