Halal Market

“...The world is going Halal. All over France, foods marked Halal are growing in numbers. Halal meats are offered in many French public establishments such as school cafeterias. Cabot's Vermont Cheddar Cheese and France-Echos Paté de Foie de Canard (duck liver paté) have gone Halal. IKEA at Anderlect near Brussels has Halal hot dogs. McDonald's in Detroit has introduced Halal Chicken McNuggets while McDonald's in Australia has Halal burgers.....” Galliawatch, Saturday, 2 December 2006

The total number of Muslims is huge, a little more than one fifth of the world's populaton. Current world Muslim population is estimated between 1.2 billion to 1.8 billion or 18 to 26 percent of the world population spreading over 150 countries. It is claimed that Muslim is the fastest growing population in the world at a rate of 2.9 percent a year as compared to world population growth of 2.3 percent a year. At this rate, Islam would surpass Christianity as the world's main religion by 2023. Between 2000 and 2006, the average growth rate of the Muslim population at 1.9% percent is also far higher than the world's population growth rate, which averaged 1.22 percent in the same period. It is also much faster than any other major religious group.

Muslim population in 2006 is estimated at 1,596.59 million.

No one really knows how big the global Halal market is. Estimates are usually based on the number of Muslims in the market. There are also a lot of non-Muslims eating Halal meat. Current estimates to the value of the global Halal food market range from US$150 billion to US$580 billion* a year. Total global Halal products is estimated at US$2.2 trillion (RM$7.98 trillion) and is projected to grow by 10 - 20 % annually.

* - Based on per capita expenditure on food by Muslims. (source: various)