Why Costco's Kirkland Signature Meat Is Not Considered Halal

There's no denying that Costco is the perfect place to buy meat in bulk. It is, after all, known for its low pricing and vast array of inventory. From A5 Japanese Wagyu to the iconic rotisserie chicken, you'll always find the best deals at its meat department. However, one thing you won't find regularly at Costco is halal Kirkland Signature meat.

Costco receives its meat from both American and international distributors, and while it does have halal offerings, not all of its distributors follow halal practices. In fact, the Halal Food Authority estimates that just 15% of meat slaughtered in the UK adheres to halal practices. And although the market in the U.S. for halal meat is growing, Kirkland Signature meat can not be considered halal as a whole.

So, what exactly does halal mean? Halal refers to the way animals are treated before and after they are slaughtered for food. It actually translates to permissible in Arabic and dictates what meats Muslims can eat. For meat to be considered halal, it must follow strict Islamic law, which prioritizes animal welfare. All animals should be treated humanely, slaughtered swiftly with a sharp knife, so they don't experience prolonged pain, and be alive and healthy when they're slaughtered. Along with this, a short prayer must be recited by a Muslim and all the blood must be drained from the animal. According to the American Halal Foundation, the blood is removed to rid the carcass of any bacteria, toxins, and germs. If this technique isn't followed, the meat is considered forbidden.

The best way to know if your Costco meat is halal is to look for some type of certification on the packaging. Depending on which meat you buy, the certification will either be presented in the form of a sticker or as a logo. If it's a sticker, it will be placed on one of the packs of meat. So, if you buy a six-pack of chicken, one of those six packs will have a decent size black and white sticker on the front that says certified halal.

If you purchase a pack of meat with no clear certification on the front, turn it over and examine the back. Sometimes there's a small black and white logo printed on the back that says halal in English and Arabic. Compared to the sticker, which is easy to see against brightly colored packaging, the logo almost perfectly blends in with the cooking and handling instructions. As long as you know what to look for, you'll be able to find it.

Even though Costco's brand of meat isn't considered halal, it does sell a number of types of meat under the Kirkland brand that are halal-certified. However, the exact amount will differ depending on the location you visit. Among known halal products at Costco are its boneless and skinless chicken breasts and chicken thighs, its frenched lamb rack, and its goat.