Based on Act No. 33 of 2014 concerning the Halal Product Assurance Act (UU JPH), Indonesia must implement halal certificates for all products circulating in Indonesia. The closest phasing period for food and beverage products will be on October 17, 2024.
This regulation was conveyed by the Corporate Secretary Manager of LPPOM MUI, Raafqi Ranasasmita, to around 500 students in the Studium Generale WMK x Entrepreneur Camp IPB Entrepreneurship and Startup School Student Program 2023, which was held on November 5, 2023, at the IPB Dramaga, Bogor. In the presentation, Raafqi was accompanied by Yunita Nurrohmani, Corporate Communications of LPPOM MUI.
“It’s not just food and beverages that are end products that must be halal certified. All materials involved must also be certified halal, such as raw materials, food additives, and supporting materials. Slaughtering services and slaughtered products also require halal certification,” explained Raafqi.
Other stages also starting to enter the transition period are cosmetic products, medicines, and consumer goods, which will be implemented in 2026 until the latest in 2034. Meanwhile, business actors who do not implement these regulations will be subject to administrative sanctions in the form of written warnings. , administrative fines, revocation of halal certificates, and withdrawal of goods from circulation. This is written in Government Regulation No. 39 of 2021 Article 149.
Besides the regulatory aspect, Raafqi emphasized three main benefits of halal certification. First, halal certification provides inner peace to Muslim consumers. In Islam, consuming haram food is an obstacle to prayer.
A hadith states, “Then he (Rasulullah) mentioned that someone traveled a long distance in a dirty and dusty condition. He raised his hands to the sky and shouted ‘Ya Rabbi ya Rabbi’ (O my Lord, O my Lord), even though his food was haram, his drink was haram, his clothes were haram, and his needs were fulfilled by something haram, then (if that was the case) how would his prayer be answered?” (HR: Muslim, Tirmizi and Ahmad).
Second, systematic benefits. Companies that have carried out halal certification have created a halal ecosystem throughout their production process. From the human resources aspect, every employee involved has the same knowledge and equal expertise related to implementing the halal guarantee system. Meanwhile, the company has standardized activities and material recording from the production aspect. That way, the entire production process can be adequately traced.
“Third, halal products are the producer’s responsibility and the consumer’s right. Based on the 2022 Indhex Top Halal Survey Report, 68 percent of consumers said they were willing to pay more for a product that was halal certified. Apart from that, as many as 28% of respondents stated that price, quality, and halal were the main aspects in choosing a product,” explained Raafqi.
Regarding halal statistics, during 2022, a total of 15,273 companies will carry out halal certification through LPPOM MUI with a total of 297,803 products. This figure is up 48 percent from the previous year. Nine thousand five hundred eighty-two (9,582) business actors participate in halal certification facilitation through free or subsidized facilities. It is generally included in the Micro and Small Enterprises (UMK) category.
This proves that the opportunity for MSEs to obtain halal certification facilitation is still wide open. Of course, it is possible for students who have just started a business to have halal certification through various means. One way is through regular channels with facilitation from the government or other assistance. Check the latest information regarding halal certification via the website www.halalmui.org or LPPOM MUI social media / @lppom_mui. (YN)
