New research by the group assessed the attitudes and shopping habits of halal meat consumers to create a more comprehensive understanding of the products they buy, how and where they shop, the importance of Muslim festivals and key opportunities for the halal meat sector.
AHDB found that while Muslims make up around 6.5% of the UK population, they account for 30% of lamb sales in terms of volume. What’s more, 80% of halal consumers eat lamb weekly. While 64% said they consume mutton weekly – compared with only 6% of the general UK population eating lamb.
Shining a spotlight
Awal Fuseini, senior halal sector manager at AHDB and 2025 Nuffield Scholar, said: “AHDB is shining a spotlight on the development of the UK’s halal meat sector. We believe it presents many opportunities for farmers and processors to diversify their livestock production to cater for the growing demand for halal beef and lamb in the UK.
“Halal meat consumers are a very important component of domestic demand. For the industry, the report is about trying to obtain a detailed picture of their behaviour to help both us and our levy payers identify what’s important to halal consumers to better meet their needs.”
In 2016, Muslims in the UK were estimated to have spent £4.64bn on halal food and beverages. By 2023, AHDB and NIQ estimated that £823m was spent on halal meat alone.
High prices
In the UK, as a whole, lamb consumption has been in steady decline during the last 20 years, said the AHDB. This is driven by comparatively high prices relative to other proteins, such as chicken. However, for the Muslim community, lamb remains a primary protein source.
AHDB retail and consumer insight manager Vanessa Adamson added: “We have not carried out detailed work on the halal sector since the pre-Covid period and a lot has changed in the intervening years due to influences like Covid and the cost-of-living crisis.
“The report is aimed at farmers, processors and retailers – essentially all of those in the supply chain who could benefit from learning more about the growing halal market. We hope our research can help drive sales in the sector.”
Meanwhile, exports of Welsh Lamb and other sheep meats have grown again, whilst beef exports continue to recover. Welsh Lamb continues to see year-on-year increases, with volumes and value witnessing double digital percentage inclines last year.
