Direct Supply and Sales of Meat during Qurbani
England and Wales specific
A joint statement from the Partnership Working Group Sub-Group on Qurbani
Background
In January 2020, the FSA established a group to assess issues related to slaughterhouses that sell or supply meat directly to consumers from their site to understand more about consumer demand and preferences in this area and how regulatory assurance can be delivered effectively.
The FSA supports producers having the ability to sell meat directly in this way to meet religious expectation, such as the undertaking of Qurbani. This is the sacrifice of a livestock animal during the Muslim festival of Eid al Adha which is commemorated annually.
The following joint statement has been agreed by the group to facilitate the supply of safe meat to the Muslim community during Qurbani/Eid in England and Wales only, in 2022.
Statement for 2022
The members of the Partnership Working Group Sub-Group (PWG SG) on direct supply continue to work together to develop a proportionate sustainable long-term approach for the supply of meat during Qurbani and discussions continue to be productive.
The members of the PWG SG acknowledge that the direct supply to final consumers from abattoirs is a regulated activity and support the need to enable the supply of meat to the Muslim community during Qurbani/Eid 2022 under conditions that ensure appropriate levels of public health protection.
Therefore, we have agreed that the industry proposed mitigations that were implemented during Qurbani 2020 and 2021 will be enhanced and applied in England and Wales for Qurbani 2022.
Further information on this will be available via the 'Opportunities in Halal' page of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) website.
Out of scope of this joint statement:
- Business to Business sales and supply under retained Regulation (EU) 2017/1981.
- Covid-19 requirements in relation to business guidance on social distancing according to the relevant government advice in place at the time.
Direct Supply during Qurbani 2022
We have developed enhanced detailed implementation documentation to support Food Business Operators and Officials considering the following risk mitigation principles:
- Partial chilling of meat before direct supply
- Verification of supply only to final consumers, or their representatives, with a customer declaration/traceability for all relevant sales/supply
- Supply of health information and consumer advice
- Measures in place to minimise cross-contamination, including suitable wrapping
- Demonstration of suitable micro-biological sampling and/or hygiene history
- Inclusion of date and time of slaughter on the label of the Qurbani
- Additional mitigations for the supply of Offal
This approach was endorsed by FSA Chief Executive and Executive Management Team.