"Halal" means "permissible" and "pure" in Islam. Islam views life as a unified whole, in which spiritual principles are inseparable from everyday practices. Therefore, the concept has long since expanded beyond Muslim communities, encompassing such areas as finance, logistics, and high technology. It's not just a question of nutrition — halal shapes a distinct lifestyle and culture. This expansion, in turn, has provoked both critical reactions in some communities and healthy interest from non-Muslims.
Today, the market for halal goods and services is also emerging in non-Islamic countries. Globalization has made Islamic practices and concepts of permissibility more visible and accessible worldwide . Growing awareness is increasing demand for halal products. For many companies, halal certification has become a profitable tool, opening access to new markets. All of this is fueling the global growth of the halal segment, whose projected value could reach $30 trillion by 2050.
Since many modern products were unknown during the time of the Prophet ﷺ , the criteria for what is permitted and prohibited are based on the Quran and Sunnah. This applies not only to the ingredients but also to the ethics of production, including special rituals, such as slaughtering animals. For the average Muslim, understanding all the nuances is difficult. This is where certification comes in. It serves as a guarantee and a tool for informed choice for believers, becoming a practical mechanism for adhering to religious precepts in today's multipolar world.
The origins of modern halal certification date back to the 1970s, when packaged foods began to be exported en masse from the United States, Europe, and Australia to Muslim countries. The first cases, such as a request from Saudi Arabia to Australia in 1974, concerned meat compliance with Islamic slaughter standards. This led to the emergence of the first certification bodies, such as the Islamic Services of America, which were initially established for other purposes but quickly adapted to the demand.
Certification emerged as a response to consumer concerns in Islamic countries and the need for exporters to prove their goods' compliance with religious requirements. Initially, it applied to meat and agricultural products, but in the 1990s, following scandals involving the use of undesirable ingredients (such as pork emulsifiers), it expanded to other categories—sugar, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Demand also created new niches, such as halal tourism. From a tool for export, certification has evolved into a system serving the global market and shaping specific consumer practices.
Today, it is a global institution. Almost every country has bodies that set standards and monitor compliance. The Russian Federation is increasing its exports of halal products every year—at the 16th International Economic Forum "Russia – Islamic World," a more than 80% increase in exports in 2024 compared to the previous year was announced. Moreover, domestic halal product turnover has exceeded one billion rubles, and demand is growing year after year. A powerful driver of this segment's development was the opening in December 2025 in Kazan of the first representative center in the CIS of AAOIFI, a key organization developing standards for Islamic finance.
The growth of the halal market is a clear manifestation of the global return to religious and cultural identity. Paradoxically, the main producers of halal products are non-Muslim countries such as Brazil, Switzerland, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Among Muslim countries, Malaysia has become the leader, having purposefully built a global halal hub. This economic segment has made a strong statement, becoming a space where issues of religion, identity, and commerce are closely intertwined. Halal consumption often resonates with non-Muslims as well, thanks to its strict sanitary and ethical standards.
The expansion of the halal economy in non-Muslim countries often provokes resistance, perceived as an attempt to capture the secular market and a threat to cultural homogeneity. In many Western countries, the "halal boycott" has repeatedly become a dominant topic on social media, among people convinced that this stance is aimed at curbing the development of the halal segment and strengthening the local economy. For example, a Facebook (which is banned in Russia) page called "Boycott Halal in Australia" called on consumers to boycott certified products, garnering more than 100,000 followers.
Critics see halal certification as an imposition of religious norms on society as a whole, a hidden tax favoring the Muslim community, and even a possible funding channel for radical groups. The debate also touches on the ethical and hygienic aspects of ritual slaughter, which has periodically brought the topic to the forefront of political and public debate in Europe.
In France, the rise of halal products led to reactions from non-Muslim groups, who demanded their rejection by the French people. The issue became so polarizing that both the French president and prime minister in 2012 asked certain religions to reconsider their animal slaughter practices. Muslims were outraged, believing this was directed against them, despite the fact that they were born French and had a right to non-discrimination.
In 2018, the far-right community in Europe launched a Facebook campaign to boycott Toblerone chocolate after learning that the product was halal certified. It began in Germany but soon spread to France, England, and the Netherlands. Such sentiments sometimes lead to practical consequences: companies abandon certification under pressure (for example, the American company Kellogg's in 2016), and in countries with small Muslim diasporas, there are calls to abolish it entirely for their domestic markets. The situation is complicated by cases of unfair certification and exploitation of religious sentiments, which requires clear legal regulation.
Halal certification requirements in Russia are set out in separate state standards, which are in turn based on religious principles and approved by the Council of Muftis of Russia. Like choosing a product from a variety of options, this is a voluntary process, and a halal certificate does not replace other mandatory standards or declarations. However, it does provide a competitive advantage when entering a market where a prudent consumer will choose the most necessary and high-quality product, and a forward-thinking manufacturer will strive to offer this solution. What this means for us is up to each individual to decide.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: RBM RF