Concerning European Halal Market Development, the halal market goes beyond food; it includes many sectors such as finance, tourism, fashion, medicines, leisure and cosmetics.
Population growth, economic development and the emergence of the middle class in Muslim-majority countries are the sector drivers.
Halal product: definition
Halal is defining the set of practices, goods and services allowed to Muslims. This term appears in the Qur’an and refers to everything that is not prohibited by Islamic law or Sharia, and therefore the meaning is healthy and not abusive lawful, ethical.
Halal antonym: Haram
The antonym of Helal is Haram; this term also appears in the Qur’an and means everything that is forbidden and, therefore, harmful, illicit, unethical or abusive. All that is not expressly prohibited, qualified as Haram, is allowed, that is, halal. According to the Islamic rules are Haram: the flesh of a dead beast, the blood of any animal, pork and wild boar meat. Additionally, Qur’an lists as haram meat of animals not sacrificed according to the Islamic ritual, that of predatory and scavenging animals, that of talon birds, that of animals crawling or burying themselves, alcohol. Harmful or poisonous substances, ingredients from haram animals, such as additives, preservatives, dyes, flavours, etc., interest, usury, abusive speculation, betting and gambling and pornography are also in the haram category.
Prohibitions and daily life of Muslims
This set of prohibitions will determine the daily life of Muslims, as they relate to essential issues in practice, such as food, hygiene or economic and trade relations. This is why halal market segments have arisen in sectors such as food and finance. This is also why this term and its implications is equated with a way of life that is increasingly attractive to non-Muslims.
Currently, the term halal has gone beyond religious connotations and for many, non-Muslims included, it is synonymous with quality, health and sustainability. A study conducted by the Halal Institute on a large commercial area in Madrid showed that 60 % of the consumers of halal products consulted were not Muslims. They indicated that they were seeking an extra quality guarantee as the main reason why they bought these products.. For non-Muslim consumers, halal has become a guarantee of quality and like for Muslims, it encompasses everything that is good and beneficial to the human being.
The halal market in Europe
In recent years, there has been a mass arrival of European companies on the halal market. The growing demand for halal products and services attracts an overwhelming majority. This majority aims to export their goods and services to Muslim-majority countries where the list of opportunities is long. But in the national market, which, in the case of Europe, has almost 50 million potential customers interest more and more.
In the halal sector, there is a strong dependence from outside the countries of the Maghreb and the Middle East. The value of halal food in Europe fluctuates between 40 and 100 million euros. The Muslim population in Europe is increasing. It will reach 60 million by 2030. The arrival of Muslim tourists to the Old Continent is on the rise. All these reasons have led producers and distributors to bet on this market, both in Europe and abroad..
We should also highlight the role of certain companies. For example, Nestlé has 159 plants and 300 halal-certified products. As another example, Tesco has a wide range of halal foods and drinks in its shopping centres in the UK, Turkey, Malaysia and India.
Other sector than food in halal market
The rest of the halal sectors are in an embryonic stage. So, there are virtually no data or estimates on their development in Europe. However, sectors such as finance and Islamic commercial banking have come to function naturally in some countries. For this purpose, their governments have made the necessary changes to their legal systems. Halal tourism is also worth mentioning, with the creation of 100% halal hotels. The certification of restaurants and hotels has led to an increase in the arrival of Muslim tourists over the years.
Europe thus has an opportunity to capitalise on the growth of this market. But it must achieve this, what Europe has done so far is not enough or even insufficient. In order to meet the strong demand for halal goods and services, it will require more certified companies. It will also take a wider range of halal products and services outside the food sector. A common regulatory framework facilitating the certification of the development of a European halal market will be necessary.
If you want to know more about Halal products from Turkey, please visit our Turkish agriculture-food listings here.
