Debate over non-stun slaughter intensifies amid calls for reform

Nearly six in ten Britons support banning non-stun slaughter, new polling shows, as pressure grows on ministers to act.

New polling by More In Common found that 58% of the public back prohibiting non-stun slaughter for halal and kosher meat. The findings come as the government confirms the issue will not be addressed in its animal welfare strategy.

UK law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter to reduce suffering, but exemptions allow non-stun methods for religious practices.

While all kosher meat in the UK comes from non-stun slaughter, stunned halal meat is widely accepted by many Muslims, although a significant proportion of halal animals are still not stunned.

Animal welfare groups including the RSPCA, British Veterinary Association and Compassion in World Farming support a ban, with campaigners arguing “religious demands shouldn’t trump animal welfare”.

The government’s animal welfare strategy, published at the end of 2025, sets out measures to improve welfare in areas such as pig, fish and crustacean slaughter, but makes no reference to religious slaughter practices.

Confirming this, Defra minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said there are “no commitments in the strategy that address religious slaughter practices specifically”.

The issue has also been debated several times in Parliament this year.

MPs raised concerns in January about the number of animals being killed without stunning. In February, Conservative MP Esther McVey called for mandatory labelling of non-stun meat, and similar proposals gained support during a June debate on a petition with more than 100,000 signatures.

The polling forms part of a wider report on attitudes to religion and society, based on responses from more than 2,000 people across Britain, alongside focus groups.

The research was funded by the National Secular Society (NSS), which campaigns for an end to non-stun slaughter.

NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said the findings show the public believe “religious demands shouldn’t trump animal welfare”.

She said it was “disappointing” the strategy failed to address the issue, warning animals would continue to suffer unnecessarily and consumers remain “in the dark” when making ethical choices.

While non-stun slaughter remains a sensitive issue, protections are in place to allow practices for faith communities.

Manson added that mandatory labelling should be introduced while the practice remains legal.

Conservative MP Esther McVey has also pushed for clearer transparency, introducing a Ten Minute Rule Bill that would require meat from non-stun slaughter to be clearly labelled.

The debate is expected to continue as pressure grows for both welfare reform and greater consumer transparency.