Consuming, producing, defining halal : halal authorities and Muslim consumers in South Africa

Abstract

Includes bibliographical references.

Nineteen eighty-five was the year in which the first halal-certified non-meat product appeared in South African stores. The certifying authority was the Muslim Judicial Council of Cape Town and the product was Flora-margarine. The certification of a non-meat product signaled a major shift in halal in South Africa. It represented the development of a halal consciousness that extended beyond the realm of purely meat products and into the unseen, intangible, expert-controlled world of food technology. Other developments also contributed to the growing halal industry in South Africa. The end of apartheid resulted in freedom of movement for the previously disadvantaged Muslim community. The newfound freedom resulted in increased demand for halal consumption in places previously restricted or considered unwelcoming. Changes in lifestyle resulted in an increase in dual income households and overall standards of living amongst middle class Muslims. These changes contributed to an increase in demand for packaged food, dining out and the cost effective, one-stop shopping that mass retailers offered. Muslims began to spend more time on vacation, at shopping malls and at restaurants. This change in consumption behavior resulted in a demand for halal products. This demand precipitated into requests for