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How to Verify HFA Halal Certification

The UK's HFA: its stunning rules, three-year certificate cycle, and how to check an HFA certificate when there is no public search.

Last reviewed 1 October 2026

A UK Halal certification body based in London. It certifies food, drink, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other products, and some restaurant chains.

Country
United Kingdom
Type
Certification company
Public search
None

How to check a product or outlet

HFA's website has no public certificate or product search (checked 1 October 2026). Ask the brand for its current HFA certificate, or contact HFA. Some brands publish their own list: KFC UK names HFA and lists its Halal branches in its own finder.

  1. Ask the brand or outlet for its current HFA certificate and check the dates.
  2. Check that the certificate names the product, site or branch you are buying from.
  3. For a restaurant chain, use the chain's own Halal list where it publishes one.

What it certifies

  • Food and drink
  • Cosmetics and pharmaceuticals
  • Ingredients, additives and packaging
  • Restaurant chains

Slaughter and stunning

HFA allows controlled electric stunning, at minimal amperage verified by a veterinary surgeon, for poultry and sheep. It prohibits captive-bolt and percussion stunning, does not accept mechanical slaughter, and requires hand slaughter by qualified Muslim slaughtermen.

Compare HMC and HFA

Legal basis and certificate term

HFA's certification procedure runs on a three-year cycle: a surveillance audit in year two, a renewal audit in year three, and a renewal application six months before expiry. A certificate can be suspended or cancelled at any time; while it is suspended, the HFA mark must not appear on the products.

Recognition in Malaysia

HFA is on JAKIM's 21 August 2026 list of recognised foreign certifiers.

How to check any Halal certificate · All certifiers

Sources

  1. Halal Food Authority · FAQ: stunning and mechanical slaughter "HFA prohibits captive bolt and percussion stunning. We allow controlled electric stunning with minimal amperage, verified by a veterinary surgeon, for poultry and ovine meat." Mechanical slaughter "is not accepted by HFA". Retrieved 1 October 2026
  2. Halal Food Authority · Certification procedure Surveillance audit (year 2); renewal application six months before expiry; renewal audit (year 3); suspension or cancellation at any time. Retrieved 1 October 2026
  3. Halal Food Authority · Certification termination and suspension During suspension the HFA mark shall not be depicted on approved products. Retrieved 1 October 2026
  4. KFC UK · KFC UK Halal KFC UK names HFA and lists its Halal branches. Retrieved 1 October 2026
  5. JAKIM · The Recognized Foreign Halal Certification Bodies & Authorities, effective 21 August 2026 69-page list gazetted under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Halal) Order 2011. United Kingdom entries: Halal Certification Europe and Halal Food Authority. United States entries include IFANCA. Retrieved 1 October 2026