Participants and experts at the Makkah Halal Forum 2026 that standardization is a crucial strategic pillar for ensuring the growth and sustainability of the global halal sector, especially given the industry's rapid expansion and the multiplicity of regulatory frameworks. Attendees emphasized that reducing discrepancies in specifications between countries would enhance consumer confidence and facilitate the smooth flow of cross-border trade.
The economic importance of standardizing halal standards
This trend is of paramount importance given the broader context of the Islamic economy, where global estimates indicate that the halal economy is no longer limited to food and beverages but has expanded to include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tourism, and logistics. With this economy reaching trillions of dollars in size, the multiplicity of national standards has become a technical obstacle to international trade, increasing compliance costs for exporting companies and creating disruptions in global supply chains.
In this context, the Secretary-General of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development, Yousef Khallawi, explained that professionalism in standardizing criteria should originate from within the economic system itself. He called for the private sector to adopt a voluntary, organized model of compliance before moving to mandatory regulation, emphasizing that a clear competitive environment is what raises the level of professionalism and strengthens global market confidence in halal products.
Quality infrastructure and the challenges of pluralism
For his part, Badr Al-Abdulatif, Secretary General of the Islamic Halal Accreditation Forum, explained that the integrated infrastructure for halal quality is not limited to issuing certificates alone, but includes a complex system encompassing standard-setting bodies, conformity assessment, accreditation, and measurement and calibration. Al-Abdulatif warned that the continued existence of multiple, independent national standards leads to inconsistent assessment practices, which limits economic integration between Islamic countries and other halal-exporting nations.
In a related context, Abdulaziz Al-Saab, Director of Halal Files at the Gulf Accreditation Center, pointed to the economic repercussions of this disparity, explaining that differing standards between countries directly increase production costs and negatively impact the efficiency of supply chains. Al-Saab clarified that the Gulf countries have made significant progress in this area by adopting the standards of the GCC Standardization Organization, in addition to aligning them with the standards of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), thus strengthening their position as a unified economic bloc.
Saudi Vision 2030 and the future of industry
The participants concluded their discussions by emphasizing that ongoing institutional dialogue contributes to building a shared framework that supports the smooth flow of products without technical barriers. This approach is perfectly aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 , which aims to make the Kingdom a global hub for the halal industry by enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy and developing a legislative and regulatory environment that ensures product quality and safety, thus solidifying the Kingdom's position as a global leader in this vital sector.
