IFANCA SURVEY UNCOVERS THE NEED FOR CONSUMER EDUCATION & ACCESS TO HALAL-CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

A nationwide consumer survey from IFANCA uncovers unique insights surrounding halal food products among health-conscious consumers

DES PLAINES, Ill., Dec. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As consumers become more conscious of food health and safety, halal-certified foods are taking center stage. As the non-profit global leader in halal certification, IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America) recently launched a nationwide consumer insights survey* to increase transparency and visibility for halal foods, identify consumer education gaps, and understand the misconceptions around halal-certified products.    

Inspired by IFANCA's vision to ensure everyone has access to the halal products and services that let them live a secure, satisfying life, IFANCA's consumer insights survey found that despite the rapid growth and positive consumer perception of halal, more than half of Americans familiar with halal (52 percent) and 72 percent of those who regularly consume halal-certified foods report facing difficulties when shopping for halal-certified foods.   

"IFANCA is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to halal foods and products that allow them to live secure, satisfying lives," says Dr. Muhammad Chaudry, President of IFANCA. "This survey data shows us that we must continue to do more in the food sector – from retail to foodservice – to better educate and serve our halal consumers." 

In 2021, the global halal food market was valued at more than $1.9 billion and included distributors of halal food products such as traditional retailers, supermarkets, restaurants, foodservice, and more. While fast-casual fusion halal restaurants have increased in popularity, survey data shows there's still a gap in consumer knowledge regarding halal foods. Nearly two-thirds of those aware of halal responded that they don't consume halal foods 'at all' or 'more often' because they either don't practice Islam (64%), or they don't know enough about halal-certified foods (61%). 

Other notable findings of the survey include: 

• Americans familiar with halal believe halal-certified food products are more humane (44%), fresher (42%), and healthier (41%) than non-halal-certified foods.
• Consumers with knowledge of halal guidelines are more likely than those unfamiliar with halal to look for nutritional content (81% vs. 74%) and ingredient transparency (76% vs. 62%) when shopping for food.

With 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, in addition to a growing population of non-Muslim halal-conscious consumers, the already strong market for halal products continues to rapidly expand. A 2022 Halal Food Market report produced by Future Market Insights predicts that the halal food market will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 9.7% through 2032.   

What Is Halal & Halal Certification?   

Halal is a set of standards established under Islamic rules that apply to all facets of life – food and beverages, banking and finance, tourism, jobs, pharmaceuticals, technology, cosmetics, travel, and more. In terms of food, halal-certified products must be produced in conformity with the preparation and ingredient standards of the halal lifestyle. Since 1982, IFANCA has ensured compliance with global halal standards and requirements, helping to optimize the halal certification process. 

These guidelines span the supply chain from farm to point of delivery and include procurement, preparation, sanitation, storage, and handling. Consumers rely on independent certification to ensure that a food meets their dietary requirements. Food companies turn to third-party certifiers like IFANCA to help source halal ingredients and bring authentic, trusted halal products to market. 

*A 15-minute online quantitative survey among n=1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults balanced according to the U.S. Census on overall age, gender, region, urban/rural, race/ethnicity, education, and household income. The survey was conducted in English by Ipsos between September 9 – September 19, 2022, with a credibility interval of +/- 3.8% at 95% confidence.  

About IFANCA 

A non-profit headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, IFANCA (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America) is a global leader in halal certification, consulting, and education. Featured in various media such as the Wall Street Journal, Prepared Foods, CNBC, and CNN, IFANCA has been promoting halal since 1982. IFANCA was awarded the "Best Halal Related Service Provider Award" by the Halal Journal at the World Halal Forum 2007 and the Islamic Economy Award for Compliance and Standardization by the Global Islamic Economy Summit (GIES®) 2013. IFANCA is endorsed by many countries and organizations, including MUI (Indonesia), JAKIM (Malaysia), MUIS (Singapore), and GSM (United Arab Emirates), and IFANCA halal-certified products are sold in nearly every country. IFANCA's halal certification expertise covers all food industry categories. For more information, visit www.ifanca.org.    

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SOURCE IFANCA