More than half of Brussels butchers offer halal meat

Of Brussels’ 256 private butchers, more than half do not sell pork or other non-halal meats following the guidelines of Islam. That’s 55% of the city’s butchers, according to La Dernière Heure based on figures from regional trade agency Atrium. It is the first year that the figures have been calculated, reports brusselnieuws.be.

The halal butchers are mainly found in Molenbeek, Anderlecht, Schaerbeek and Saint-Gilles. Many of their customers are non-Muslims, who prefer the generally lower prices at a halal butcher compared to a traditional butcher. Moreover, the halal butchers tend to respond to other societal trends, including the city’s first organic halal butcher shop, which recently opened in Molenbeek.