Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 02-08-2018
Food Lovers Market has apologised to the Muslim community after falsely advertising one of its Cape Town stores was strictly halaal despite selling pork.
The retailer has come under fire following a complaint by a Muslim customer who noticed pork products being sold in store at the cheese counter.
According to Voice of the Cape, the customer then circulated a WhatsApp message expressing her disgust and later reported the matter to the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC).
In a statement, the MJC says the Muslim consumer feels justifiably misled by Foodlover’s Market’s brochure, stating that the Access Park store in Cape Town is “strictly halaal”.
“The Access Park store is/was never fully halaal certified. There are sections, like the Butchery, bakery and Hot Foods, which are overseen by halaal certifying bodies.”
Whilst the MJC only certified the butchery section, it decided to suspend its certificate as a precautionary measure to eliminate any chances of possible cross-contamination.
In its initial findings, the MJC found no possible cross-contamination at the Halaal certified butchery section of Foodlover’s Market, Access Park.
In a statement, Simon Parker, the Head of Butcheries for the Food Lover’s Market Group says they welcomed “the comment and guidance from the MJCHT, who has decided to temporarily suspend the halaal certification.
“The certificate will be reinstated as soon as the MJCHT is satisfied that compliance to MJC’s halaal standards and operating procedures are being met.”
Food Lover’s Market says that all references to Access Park being a fully certified halaal store would be removed from marketing materials and online platforms pending re-certification by the MJC.
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