FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this brand halal?

AVS can only guarantee the halal quality of products it certifies itself. Its foundation relies on the physical presence of control agents from slaughter to packaging for each certified product. Thus, we do not issue any certification without the presence of our agents. Their permanent and continuous on-site presence attests to the halal nature of the products.

Regarding other organizations, we cannot answer your question as our agents are not present during their productions. Certifying a product as halal or declaring it haram carries a religious responsibility; one must have been present from slaughter to packaging to guarantee the product’s quality. This is why our association cannot vouch for other organizations.

Regarding products without any trace of a certification body, we strongly advise you to abstain from them because, unfortunately, currently in Europe, no law protects the term “halal.” This is why many companies allow themselves to use it on uncertified products of dubious origin.

Simply sourcing from certain suppliers mentioned on our partners’ websites is not sufficient. Indeed, several slaughterhouses are not exclusively halal, and it is essential to recognize during delivery whether the goods match those that our control agents oversaw in the same slaughterhouses, after verifying the presence of the AVS logo.

Unfortunately, the association currently only controls butcher shops and restaurants in Ile-de-France, as well as in Lyon and Saint-Étienne, and cannot certify businesses outside these areas.

The control is carried out free of charge by the association, despite the significant cost involved. Furthermore, the recruitment and training of a butcher shop/restaurant controller are complex and lengthy. To guarantee the quality and reliability of the control, controllers must be stabilized in full-time positions, which is only justifiable if several businesses are to be controlled in the same region.

The supervision of controllers by a regional manager is also essential to maintain rigorous control. This supervision cannot be easily decentralized, which limits our ability to respond to all requests outside covered areas.

Nevertheless, we are working to make AVS products available in other regions, in collaboration with local Muslim associations and reliable local businesses, in order to gradually meet the growing demand.