Supply of Qurbani Meat and Offal During Eid al-Adha

Background

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 Qurbani meat and offal during Eid al-Adha, and discussions continue to be productive.

In 2022, the FSA launched a 12-week consultation on the long-term approach. We then published the responses to the consultation.

The members of the PWG SG acknowledge that work on the long-term approach continues; it is also recognised that the direct supply to final consumers from abattoirs is a regulated activity and support the need to enable the supply of Qurbani meat and offal to the Muslim community during Eid al-Adha 2025 under conditions that ensure appropriate levels of public health protection.

Therefore, the PWG SG have agreed that the industry led mitigations that were implemented during Eid al-Adha 2020 - 2024 and will again be applied in England and Wales during Eid al-Adha 2025 (currently predicted to commence on or around 6th or 7th June).

Further information on this will be available via the Halal Food Information Centre (HFIC) website (Opens in a new window).

Out of scope of this joint statement:

• Business to Business sales and supply under retained Regulation (EU) 2017/1981.

Direct Supply of Qurbani Meat and Offal during Eid al-Adha 2025

We have developed enhanced detailed implementation documentation (EID 01-11) (Opens in a new window) 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.

Organisations represented on the PWG SG:

• Food Standards Agency
• Food Standards Scotland (Opens in a new window)
• Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (Opens in a new window)
• Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (Opens in a new window)
• British Meat Processors Association (Opens in a new window)
• Halal Food Authority (Opens in a new window)
• Halal Monitoring Committee (Opens in a new window)
• Muslim Council of Britain (Opens in a new window)
• National Craft Butchers (Opens in a new window)