#1 Religious slaughter of meat in the UK

[NewsFeed]

Staff at the Asda in Barking, east London

Furious shoppers have set up a Facebook page calling for the public to stop buying groceries at the Asda supermarket until it agrees to sell non-halal chickens, ribs, bacon joints and sausages again.

Meat sold on the store's rotisserie stand is now killed in the Islamic tradition, which directs that animals must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter and all blood drained from the carcass.

Furious shopper Eileen Glover, 63, who launched the campaign after the supermarket opened in Barking, east London, described it as "outrageous".

She said: "I am so angry as a British consumer, who has shopped and lived in Barking all my life, that my choice as a consumer has been compromised.

"I do not agree with the slaughtering process of halal meat, and the fact this has happened in a British store is outrageous.

"I urge anyone who feels the same to firstly boycott the store, and secondly make a complaint to head office as I have already done so."

Ms Glover, who cares for her 87-year-old mother, said she takes her shopping at Asda every Tuesday, usually buying her cooked chicken to last her three days.

She said: "We do not have a problem with the store supplying halal meat.

"We understand there is a demand, but to not offer non-halal meat takes away our choice as consumers."

She added: "This country has made huge progress in the cruelty of animals and providing meat humanely killed. We feel this type of slaughtering is barbaric."

More than 2,000 supporters on Facebook are supporting the boycott.

One of them, Sylvia Everett, wrote: "Go shoppers boycott Asda and all others who only offer halal.

While Jason Cook said: "All Asda should be blocked ...animal cruelty in the UK is going backwards."

A spokesman for Asda, whose new store opened on September 3, defended the decision saying it "will continue to review the products we sell following customer feedback."

He added: "Our rotisserie in the Barking store is extremely popular with the local community and we try and meet every customer's needs.

British retailers and restaurants are quietly switching to halal meats in their products and meals, leaving customers opposed to the religious ritual - which sees the animal's throat cut - in the dark.

Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons all sell meat from non-stunned animals produced by specialist halalsuppliers, such as the London-based Haji Babab Halal Meats.

read full article at source: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/606...tt-supermarket

[Bev]

This has only just dawned on them?

non-halal chickens, ribs, bacon joints and sausages

Where do you get halal bacon joints from?

[Zander]

Originally Posted by Bev

This has only just dawned on them?



Where do you get halal bacon joints from?

Linda McCartney?

[NewsFeed]

Label All Halal Food In Supermarkets, Fast-food Chains And Shops Across The UK. - Petitions

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Petition Label All Halal Food In Supermarkets, Fast-food Chains And Shops Across The UK.

This petiton is to request that the government make it compulsory for any halal or kosher foods to be identified/labelled in supermarkets, shops and any food retailers across the UK. Consumers should have the right to be informed about the origins of their food and any processes and methods of slaughter/religious rituals involved in the food production as these can conflict with other religious groups e,g Christians and Catholics and anybody else who do not wish to eat halal or kosher meat.

At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated

read full article at source: http://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/113019

[NewsFeed]

Label All Halal Food In Supermarkets, Fast-food Chains And Shops Across The UK. - Petitions

We use cookies to make this service simpler. Find out more about cookies

Petition Label All Halal Food In Supermarkets, Fast-food Chains And Shops Across The UK.

This petiton is to request that the government make it compulsory for any halal or kosher foods to be identified/labelled in supermarkets, shops and any food retailers across the UK. Consumers should have the right to be informed about the origins of their food and any processes and methods of slaughter/religious rituals involved in the food production as these can conflict with other religious groups e,g Christians and Catholics and anybody else who do not wish to eat halal or kosher meat.

At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition

At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated

read full article at source: http://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/113019

[Bev]

Anyone signed yet?

If this does reach the required amount of signatures, there will be a debate. Last time, the debate to ban was dominated by the information packets sent to all participants extolling the virtues of this method of slaughter. This can be balanced with genuine medical and financial facts, never mind emotional.

It's worth remembering, when contacting your MP, that halal slaughter is or was not permitted in the House of Commons restaurant.

We need a counter-argument to the inevitable repeat of Shechita UKs "like a yellow star but on our food". That's an emotional statement so should be balanced with a factual one. I favour referencing the possibility of the adrenaline released into the meat having an effect on the mu opioid receptors in the brain.

The argument that it will make it too expensive to label can be counteracted by pointing out that foods are labelled as containing peanuts, wheat etc without the item being rendered cost-prohibitive.

[andy]

My own preferred legitimate argument is:
"In light of the horse meat scandal and the obesity crisis it is essential that all food is comprehensively labelled including the slaughter method employed to ensure taxpayers are getting an open lawful supply of meat..." There must be no secrets concerning food and its preparation from tax paying consumers.

[Bev]

Originally Posted by andy

My own preferred legitimate argument is:
"In light of the horse meat scandal and the obesity crisis it is essential that all food is comprehensively labelled including the slaughter method employed to ensure taxpayers are getting an open lawful supply of meat..."

Another good argument. Complete transparency in everything we ingest. In a world where you can be prosecuted for saying water cures dehydration and where we need supermarkets to protect us from evil sugared drinks, then this could tie nicely into their treat us like morons agenda.

[andy]

Originally Posted by Bev

Another good argument. Complete transparency in everything we ingest. In a world where you can be prosecuted for saying water cures dehydration and where we need supermarkets to protect us from evil sugared drinks, then this could tie nicely into their treat us like morons agenda.

That said decades ago I followed the arab practice of putting a teaspoon of glucose in a pint of water as straight water seemed to exacerbate the dryness.Straight bottled water direct from France in those days seemed not assuage thirst and dryness at all,whereas the glucose hit the spot.

[NewsFeed]

A spokesman for Shechitah UK said Tuesday that he fears losing the European Union’s protections of “faith communities” or seeing kosher slaughter put to a vote in Parliament that might be influenced by critics of Jewish and Muslim techniques for slaughtering animals.

But if Britain leaves, Cohen said, its government “would either have to ask parliament to adopt” EU regulations that exempt faith communities from certain regulations “or come up with its own law. Either way, if it goes to a vote in the House of Parliament, it’s a numbers game and the risks are very high.”

Shechitah, the Hebrew word for kosher slaughter, and the Muslim variant of the practice are facing attack in Europe because they are deemed by many to be cruel to animals since stunning is prohibited prior to slaughter.

However, EU membership does not necessarily enshrine shechitah, as member states are free to dispense with the exemptions from EU regulations.

Opposition to schechitah led to a ban by the Netherlands in 2010, but it was overturned by the Dutch Senate in 2012. Also, the Polish parliament banned the practice in 2013, though the prohibition has since been partially overturned. The practice is currently illegal in two EU member states – Sweden and Denmark – as well as three other non-EU countries in Western Europe: Norway, Switzerland and Iceland. EU members Finland, Austria and Estonia enforce strict supervision of the custom that some Jews there say make it nearly impossible.

read full article at source: http://theuglytruth.wordpress.com/20...g-brexit-vote/

[Ray Allan]

Kosher ritual slaughter was one of the first things Hitler outlawed when he assumed power. The scenes of it in The Eternal Jew were sickening.

[NewsFeed]

As the controversial Halal meat debate continues to be a hot topic on social media and in the news, it is important to hear the perspective of the Sikh community whose religion forbids the consumption of halal meat, something many people are unaware of.

‘Subway’ is planning to sell halal-only meat in 185 branches of their stores, including Bournemouth after strong demand from Muslim customers, but the reaction from the Sikh community is varied.

Some do not care, although many of them do and are eager for their voice to be heard.

There are many Sikh people who prefer not to partake in their faith as strictly as others, however those who do must not eat halal or kosher meat.

In fact, the religion’s code of conduct says Sikhs are strictly prohibited from eating meat killed in a ritualistic manner.

In their holy book it says: “you eat the meat of the goat killed the Muslim way but talk of piety,” implying that you cannot be a practicing Sikh if you eat halal meat.

Kuldip Singh Lall of Obiter Legal Solicitors from Birmingham has an interesting perspective.

He said: “Every faith must be allowed to practice their beliefs but this must not be at the detriment of other faiths. If subway wants to sell halal-only meat, that is their decision, if you don’t agree, don’t eat there? ”

A recent article by the Daily Mail states that: “big brand shops and restaurants sell ritually slaughtered meat – but don’t label it.”

Mr Lall continues, “I do think food labeling should be clearer. A moderate Sikh would not like to unknowingly consume halal meat no more than a Muslim would a pork product.”

In fact, Sikhs are supposed to eat meat that has been killed quickly, without causing suffering to the animal.

A Sikh woman from Bournemouth who wanted to remain anonymous had a strong view: “It’s strange that some Subway stores have actually banned ham and bacon. That’s something I don’t understand because people have a choice not to buy it so it won’t affect them if stores are selling it. Sikh people aren’t supposed to eat beef, but it would never be banned from a shop and I wouldn’t want it to be.”

Sikhs remain a minority population in the UK, particularly in Bournemouth where there is no Gurdwara, their place of worship; the nearest one is in Southampton.

According to the 2011 England census there were around 420,196 Sikhs living in England alone; that is around 0.8% of the total population.

Their opinion is one to take into consideration when following the halal debate, but has not been properly covered by news organisations.

Jaswinder Kaur, the President of the Sikh Society at Southampton Solent University said: “I think the lack of knowledge about Sikhism is one of the reasons for the lack of media coverage on this issue because it is a minority religion here in the UK, people don’t know what we stand for.”

She continues, “We do not agree with the method of halal as the animal is being unnecessarily tortured. I believe many Sikhs are not happy with Subway’s decision and many would feel like they don’t have a choice anymore."

Lastly, Rohan Singh Kalsi, 23, a Sikh from Coventry was a regular Subway goer: “If it’s in a commercial location where there is a large Muslim population it makes sense to sell halal-only food. However, by doing that Subway are isolating other religious communities or other people who don’t want to eat halal meat. I won’t be eating there now as a Sikh. Everyone should be given the choice and stores should have a halal and non-halal option like supermarkets do.”

However, many restaurants around Bournemouth selling halal-only meat, such as Lebanese or Persian cuisine do receive some Sikh customers.

Ashwin Chahal, a Sikh student at Bournemouth University said: “Lebanese food is one of my favourite takeaways. It doesn’t put me off eating there just because the meat is halal. If I like the food, it doesn’t really affect me. I eat at Lebanese restaurants already assuming they’re halal. It’s not like I’m unknowingly consuming it.”

The opinion of Sikh people widely varies depending on how seriously they practice their faith, however media coverage reflecting the point of view of the Sikh community seems to be scarce.

The highly controversial halal debate will undoubtedly continue but it is true that all religions should be able to freely practice their faith. It’s a situation where nobody will win.

http://buzz.bournemouth.ac.uk/2014/0...-confess-many/