Christian complaints against halaal food investigated
The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities has been flooded with letters from Christian consumers complaining that most food and beverages in their supermarkets are certified halaal, says a City Press report.
Complaints against supermarkets and Muslim halaal-certification authorities show some Christians are furious about the prevalence of halaal-certified food in grocery stores and restaurants, claiming it violates their right to freedom of choice. Documents City Press says it obtained show that some Christian consumers have laid complaints with the commission against supermarkets, including Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, Woolworths and Food Lovers Market, food manufacturers and restaurants, as well as the SA National Halaal Authority, National Independent Halaal Trust, Islamic Council of SA and the Muslim Judicial Council.
They complain they are forced to buy halaal goods and are ‘manipulated’ into funding Islam.
The halaal industry is estimated to be worth R45bn and it is estimated that up to 90% of all food products in SA are halaal certified. The complaints are being investigated by the commission’s lawyers.
Article disclaimer: While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this article, it is not intended to provide final legal advice as facts and situations will differ from case to case, and therefore specific legal advice should be sought with a lawyer.
