Animal rights activists attack ASDA for stocking 'cruel' Halal meat

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Animal rights activists expressed outrage at the move by Asda to put the meat on sale for the first time next month.

Asda admitted that that its decision would cause controversy but said it was being trialled in one store in response to customer demand.

A spokesman for Asda told trade magazine The Grocer the meat would only be sold through a third-party concession at the Small Heath store in Birmingham and would not carry the Asda own label.

"It is not being run by us, it's being run by the National Halal Food Group which sells the Mr Halal brand," said the spokesman.

"It's just a trial in a single store. The reason it's there is because of customer demands in that area. Similar demands have not been made elsewhere."

Muhammed Yaqoob, chief executive of the National Halal Food Group, defended the traditional method of not pre-stunning the animal, claiming the animal suffered less than animals that had been stunned.

He told The Grocer: "There is a lot of ignorance and misconception surrounding the traditional method of slaughter."

"Prior to its death, the animal is treated well, fed and watered in a calm atmosphere before it dies. But with the stun method the animal is often killed alongside other animals like a factory line process."

But Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (Viva) was quick to condemn the decision by Asda.

Viva associate director Tony Wardle told The Grocer, "We carried out research a few years ago that indicated that most Muslims were happy to eat stunned Halal meat."

"The stun method was introduced in the UK decades ago because of the barbarity of cutting an animal's throat. We are opposed to the slaughter of animals on all counts."

"I am not advocating the stunning method per se, but when used properly the captive bolt pistol is without doubt the lesser of two horrible evils."

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said that the organisation was disappointed by Asda's move and there were many Muslim countries that accepted pre-stunned Halal meat.