According to Asian Image, a full range of halal skin care and cleansing products will be launched across 54 Asda stores in May, exclusive to the supermarket chain.
The range, from The Halal Cosmetics Company, will also be available via Asda’s online home shopping website. It will offer products aimed at both men and women.
The halal market
Halal is an Arabic term in Islamic law used to describe items that are considered acceptable for consumption or use. It’s commonly associated with food and beverages, but actually applies to all aspects of life for practitioners of Islam, including personal care.
“Personal care products containing alcohol ingredients, derivatives and ingredients from animals that were slaughtered in a non-halal way, are considered as non-halal products,” Kunal Mahajan, project manager for Chemicals & Energy at Kline, recently told CosmeticsDesign.
The market analyst noted that halal beauty is rising to prominence now on the back of economic shifts and changing consumer lifestyles.
“As the economies of countries in Asia, which have sizeable Muslim populations, have grown, consumers, especially those who are Muslim, have started demanding higher quality products. Those of the younger Muslim population who are better educated and have more awareness and empowerment have further contributed to the growth of halal cosmetics,” he said.
Why halal?
Salma Chaudhry, founder of the brand chosen by Asda, has spoken of the rising demand for halal beauty products in the UK.
"Halal beauty is currently one of the fastest growing sectors within the beauty industry,” she told Asian Image.
"This demand is driven by Muslim millennials who want a modern lifestyle without compromising their beliefs.
"Since our business launched in 2014, we have noticed an increased demand for halal cosmetics year on year as Muslims become increasingly aware of the distinct differences between halal cosmetics and other brands both in the UK and overseas."
Chaudhry notes that while a large proportion of the company’s trade comes from exports to the Middle East and South East Asia, there is definitely growing appetite closer to home.
“We constantly receive enquiries from across the UK, and it's very disappointing for us when we are not always able to direct consumers to a local stockist,” she says.
"We are delighted that Asda will now be stocking our products across some of its stores as this will make halal cosmetics more easily accessible to an increased number of consumers, filling a huge gap within the beauty sector which has always been our main goal."