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| Faith leaders call for clearer packaging of meat | Faith leaders call for clearer packaging of meat |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Faith leaders have called for clearer packaging after it emerged some meat is sold in the UK which could qualify as halal but is not labelled as such. | Faith leaders have called for clearer packaging after it emerged some meat is sold in the UK which could qualify as halal but is not labelled as such. |
| Five leading UK supermarkets have defended selling such meat. | |
| Tesco says the only difference from standard meat is that the animal is blessed as it is killed. | Tesco says the only difference from standard meat is that the animal is blessed as it is killed. |
| In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, members of Jewish organisation Shechita UK and the Muslim Council of Britain called for "comprehensive labelling". | In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, members of Jewish organisation Shechita UK and the Muslim Council of Britain called for "comprehensive labelling". |
| The government said it wanted people to be able to make informed choices. | The government said it wanted people to be able to make informed choices. |
| When an animal is slaughtered it is usually stunned before being killed. | When an animal is slaughtered it is usually stunned before being killed. |
| Islamic law states that the animal must be uninjured before slaughter but some authorities allow a form of stunning. | Islamic law states that the animal must be uninjured before slaughter but some authorities allow a form of stunning. |
| Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose and the Co-op said their New Zealand lamb is halal, while Pizza Express has already revealed their chicken is killed according to Islamic tradition. | |
| All say the animal is stunned before slaughter. | All say the animal is stunned before slaughter. |
| Tesco said most exported New Zealand lamb was processed according to Islamic tradition because much of the meat ended up in the Middle East. | Tesco said most exported New Zealand lamb was processed according to Islamic tradition because much of the meat ended up in the Middle East. |
| The company said all the animals were stunned before slaughter with the only difference being that halal meat was blessed as it was killed. Tesco said that because it does not specify this is done "it would be misleading for all customers to label the meat as halal". | The company said all the animals were stunned before slaughter with the only difference being that halal meat was blessed as it was killed. Tesco said that because it does not specify this is done "it would be misleading for all customers to label the meat as halal". |
| Ritual slaughter is lawful in the UK and the EU to satisfy the dietary requirements of Jews and Muslims. | Ritual slaughter is lawful in the UK and the EU to satisfy the dietary requirements of Jews and Muslims. |
| In order for meat to qualify as kosher under Jewish law, an animal must be healthy and uninjured before it is killed by a single cut to the neck with a razor-sharp knife, a practice known as shechita. | In order for meat to qualify as kosher under Jewish law, an animal must be healthy and uninjured before it is killed by a single cut to the neck with a razor-sharp knife, a practice known as shechita. |
| 'Comprehensive labelling' | 'Comprehensive labelling' |
| In the letter, Henry Grunwald, chairman of Shechita UK, which represents the Jewish method of religious slaughter, and Dr Shuja Shafi, deputy secretary general for the Muslim Council of Britain, called for clear labelling of products. | In the letter, Henry Grunwald, chairman of Shechita UK, which represents the Jewish method of religious slaughter, and Dr Shuja Shafi, deputy secretary general for the Muslim Council of Britain, called for clear labelling of products. |
| They wrote: "Consumers should be informed whether an animal has been mechanically stunned before being slaughtered and whether it has endured repeat stuns if the first attempt was ineffective. | They wrote: "Consumers should be informed whether an animal has been mechanically stunned before being slaughtered and whether it has endured repeat stuns if the first attempt was ineffective. |
| "They should also be told the method of slaughter: captive bolt shooting, gassing, electrocution, drowning, trapping, clubbing or any of the other approved methods. | "They should also be told the method of slaughter: captive bolt shooting, gassing, electrocution, drowning, trapping, clubbing or any of the other approved methods. |
| "Comprehensive labelling should be supported by faith communities and animal welfare groups alike." | "Comprehensive labelling should be supported by faith communities and animal welfare groups alike." |
| Stunning of livestock was introduced in the England in 1929 and has been mandatory in the the EU since 1979, although member states can grant exemptions for religious slaughter. | Stunning of livestock was introduced in the England in 1929 and has been mandatory in the the EU since 1979, although member states can grant exemptions for religious slaughter. |
| Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability for the British Retail Consortium said: "All our members have confirmed all their own brand fresh meat is from animals that have been pre-stunned before slaughter. | Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability for the British Retail Consortium said: "All our members have confirmed all their own brand fresh meat is from animals that have been pre-stunned before slaughter. |
| "Some of our members do sell branded halal and kosher certified meat produced by specialist companies and clearly labelled. | "Some of our members do sell branded halal and kosher certified meat produced by specialist companies and clearly labelled. |
| "As the overwhelming majority of meat sold in UK supermarkets is own brand and from animals that have been stunned prior to slaughter we do not see the requirement to separately label meat based on the method of slaughter." | "As the overwhelming majority of meat sold in UK supermarkets is own brand and from animals that have been stunned prior to slaughter we do not see the requirement to separately label meat based on the method of slaughter." |
| 'Informed choices' | 'Informed choices' |
| The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it had contributed to an EU study into the compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat and planned to review options for the UK once this is finalised in the summer. | The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it had contributed to an EU study into the compulsory labelling of halal and kosher meat and planned to review options for the UK once this is finalised in the summer. |
| "We want people to have the information they need to make informed choices about the food they buy," a spokesman said. | "We want people to have the information they need to make informed choices about the food they buy," a spokesman said. |
| He added: "There are strict laws in place to ensure welfare standards are met during slaughter. | He added: "There are strict laws in place to ensure welfare standards are met during slaughter. |
| "Although we would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter, we respect the rights of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat in accordance with their beliefs. | "Although we would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter, we respect the rights of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat in accordance with their beliefs. |
| "The government has no intention of banning religious slaughter." | "The government has no intention of banning religious slaughter." |
| Philip Lymbery, chief executive of Compassion in World Farming, said the UK should ban the slaughter of animals which have not been stunned, but he added: "I absolutely think labelling is a great way to go as an interim step." | |