Seven Scent’s UK-first complete halal certification opens up ‘important market’
The accreditation comes after an extensive audit of its manufacturing process by The Halal Trust, whose job it is to ensure that the entire production process meets halal standards of production based on principles of Islamic law which emphasise safety and wholesomeness.
The rigorous certification audit covers cleaning and manufacturing systems, as well as laboratory testing of random fragrances in order to provide qualitative and quantitative validation.
Supplier due diligence of all raw materials is also a crucial step to achieving full compliance, which Seven Scent achieved for its Manchester site.
The PZ Cussons company says it prides itself on being familiar with halal as a holistic system of production, as well as the commercial value of the exciting global market.
The personal care and cosmetics industry is particularly receptive to product innovation in this space, with forecasts predicting it will account for 8.2% of global expenditure by 2019.
“Seven has a strong record of creating halal-approved fragrances for successful PZ Cussons brands in Muslim-majority regions,” says Alistair Wilding, head of technical at Seven Scent.
“But we wanted to formalise and strengthen our position - not only to future proof established brands in key Asian countries, but also open up new opportunities in western markets where there is untapped potential for halal-certified personal care and cosmetic products.”
The certification is renewed annually by The Halal Trust in accordance with local and international guidelines, and is designed to be easily integrated into existing production systems on site; allowing businesses to operate without any downtime.
Seven says it is committed to maintaining halal principles across its manufacturing processes and is involved with early regulator discussions to establish regional compliance standards across the ASEAN market.
Halal a 'great opportunity'
According to Shoeeb Riaz, independent halal consultant and auditor for The Halal Trust, the halal market for personal care and cosmetic products offers British companies a great opportunity to diversify, win new market share, export halal products and improve long-term profitability.
“Modern, brand conscious, young Muslims – particularly women - are keen to follow beauty trends and increasingly looking for aspirational personal care and cosmetic products which meet their dual demand for beauty and faith,” says Riaz.
“In the UK, for example, 37% of Muslims fall into the coveted 18-35 year old demographic which is an important consumer audience for brand owners.”
