Joint statement by the Partnership Working Group Sub-Group (PWG SG) to facilitate the supply of Qurbani meat and offal to the Muslim community during Eid al-Adha 2026 in England and Wales.
The members of the PWG SG on direct supply continue to work together to develop a proportionate sustainable long-term approach for the supply of Qurbani meat and offal during Eid al-Adha and discussions continue to be productive.
In 2022, the FSA launched a 12-week consultation exercise on the long-term approach; the FSA’s response to the comments received during the consultation exercise can be viewed at: https://www.food.gov.uk/our-work/supply-of-qurbani-meat-and-offal-during-eid-al-adha-in-england-and-wales-summary-of-stakeholder-responses.
The members of the PWG SG acknowledge that work on the long-term approach continues; it is also recognised that the direct supply to final consumers from abattoirs is a regulated activity and support the need to enable the supply of Qurbani meat and offal to the Muslim community during Eid al-Adha 2026 under conditions that ensure appropriate levels of public health protection.
Therefore, the PWG SG have agreed that the industry led mitigations that were implemented during Eid al-Adha 2020 to 2025 will again be applied in England and Wales during Eid al-Adha 2026 (currently predicted to commence on 27th May 2026) TBC.
Further information on this will be available via the Halal food information centre HFIC website .
Out of scope of this joint statement:
- Business to Business sales and supply under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2017/1981.
Direct Supply of Qurbani Meat & Offal during Eid al-Adha 2026
We have developed enhanced detailed implementation documentation (EID 01-11) to support Food Business Operators and Officials considering the following risk mitigation principles:
- Partial chilling of meat before direct supply
- Verification of supply only to final consumers, or their representatives, with a customer declaration/traceability for all relevant sales/supply
- Supply of health information and consumer advice
- Measures in place to minimise cross-contamination, including suitable wrapping
- Demonstration of suitable micro-biological sampling and/or hygiene history
- Inclusion of date and time of slaughter on the label of the Qurbani
- Additional mitigations for the supply of Offal
This approach was endorsed by FSA Chief Executive and Executive Management Team.
Organisations represented on the QPWG SG
- Food Standards Agency (FSA)
- Food Standards Scotland (FSS)
- Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)
- Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS)
- British Meat Processors Association (BMPA)
- Halal Food Authority (HFA)
- Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC)
- Muslim Council of Britain (MCB)
- National Craft Butchers (NCB)
