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 NEWS
- Meat News
Asda
under fire over plan to sell halal meat
Last Updated: 2:53am GMT
07/11/2007
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Animal rights activists criticised a
supermarket chain yesterday for its decision to stock halal meat.
Asda will next month sell the produce from animals that have not
been stunned before their throats are cut.
A spokesman for Asda told trade magazine The Grocer that it was
aware the decision would cause controversy.
The meat was being tested in a Birmingham store in response to
customer demand.
"It is not being run by us, it's being run by the National Halal
Food Group which sells the Mr Halal brand," the spokesman said.
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"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, the chief executive of the National Halal Food
Group, defended the traditional method of killing the animal,
claiming the beast suffered less than those that were stunned.
But Vegetarians International Voice for Animals condemned the
decision by Asda.
Viva's associate director, Tony Wardle, said: "Most Muslims are
happy to eat stunned Halal meat. When used properly the captive bolt
pistol is without doubt the lesser of two horrible evils."
A spokesman for the RSPCA said the organisation was disappointed by
Asda's move.
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