December 21, 2005

I am so sick and tired of going to Woolworths and Pick 'n Pay and having to check labels to see if products are halaal. I choose not to eat anything that is halaal or kosher, as I don't have any belief in those religions.

I have nothing against the fact that the stores should and must cater for Muslims and for Jews, but I don't particularly want to eat anything that is marked kosher or halaal.

This means that chicken is off the menu completely, as is most of the meat, as I was informed that most meat is slaughtered halaal and only if it is contaminated will it be sold as non-halaal.

Woolworths has chosen to cater almost exclusively for Muslims. Breakfast cereals, fish (always halaal), cheese, milk (which makes up the bulk of the milk in the stores) - the list goes on, but today was the cherry on my cake.

The Christmas mince pies are halaal, proudly displayed in red boxes and looking most Christmassy - and there was the inevitable moon in the usual microscopic size.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I wasn't aware that Islam celebrated the birth of Christ.

I am now eating sparingly as the products available that I have in the past enjoyed are all halaal.

This is not an Islamic country, and while I understand the need to cater for Muslims, why can't it be done in the same way as for Jewish people, namely by setting aside a small section for meat and certain shelves which stock the necessities?

This country is so over minority rule, but it seems that in this case a minority is ruling the supermarkets.


Disgruntled Non-Muslim Consumer
Cape Town