Share of Muslims buying halal meat in France 2020, by frequency

This graph shows the distribution of French Muslims buying halal meat in 2020, by frequency. It appears that the majority of French Muslims (67 percent) systematically bought halal meat.

Halal meat and animal slaughter

The term "halal" refers to what is permitted for a Muslim, as opposed to "haram". In everyday life, this term is mainly used for food that Muslims are allowed to eat. All types of meat, with the exception of pork, may be eaten by the faithful. However, for meat to be considered halal, the animal must be slaughtered following the "dhabiha" slaughter ritual method, which consists of cutting the throat of the animal while it is still conscious (not stunned), with its head facing Mecca, by a Muslim priest authorized by a state-approved religious body. This method extends to various types of products containing animal-based ingredients.

Muslims' religious practices

Although Muslims pay particular attention to this, the consumption of halal products is not the only religious practice they observe: the majority of them fast during ramadan, abstain from drinking alcohol and some women choose to wear the veil.