About
About Hidden Halal
Hidden Halal is a research project documenting the extent of halal meat slaughter, sale, and service across the United Kingdom — and the legal questions surrounding the religious slaughter exemption.
The campaign
The campaign focuses on the religious slaughter exemption in the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933. The general rule requires animals to be rendered insensible to pain before death. The exemption allows religious slaughter by specified communities for their own food.
The concern is that meat produced under this exemption is being sold and served far more widely — including to people who are not seeking religiously slaughtered meat and may not know they are being served it.
There is currently no legal requirement to label meat as halal. The majority of supermarket lamb in the UK is killed under halal conditions, yet the consumer is given no indication of slaughter method.
The judicial review
Robin Tilbrook is conducting the legal work for a judicial review challenging the abuse of the religious slaughter exemption. Catherine Blaiklock has done the research and fundraising.
Both have worked entirely for free. Bringing a proper judicial review is expensive — any support is welcomed.
The judicial review distinguishes halal supply from Kosher slaughter on the basis that Kosher does not appear to abuse the exemption in the same way. The focus is halal slaughter being supplied to the wider population, rather than only to the religious community for whom the exemption exists.
Timeline
How we got here
Research begins
Catherine Blaiklock begins investigating the extent of halal meat supply in UK public institutions.
Research begins
Catherine Blaiklock begins investigating the extent of halal meat supply in UK public institutions.
FOI requests sent
Freedom of Information requests sent to schools, hospitals, councils, the MoJ and the Food Standards Agency.
FOI requests sent
Freedom of Information requests sent to schools, hospitals, councils, the MoJ and the Food Standards Agency.
Legal letters issued
Robin Tilbrook issues Letters Before Action to Test Valley BC, East Suffolk Council, and the FSA.
Legal letters issued
Robin Tilbrook issues Letters Before Action to Test Valley BC, East Suffolk Council, and the FSA.
Judicial review fundraising
Fundraising begins to support a judicial review on the abuse of the religious slaughter exemption.
Judicial review fundraising
Fundraising begins to support a judicial review on the abuse of the religious slaughter exemption.
Catherine Blaiklock
Research & Fundraising
Catherine conducted the original research into halal meat supply chains across the UK, sending FOI requests to public institutions and compiling the evidence that underpins this site and the judicial review.
@blaiklockBPRobin Tilbrook
Legal work
Robin is handling the legal correspondence and judicial review preparation. His Letters Before Action to councils and the Food Standards Agency form the basis of the legal challenge.
@RobinTilbrook