'No Pork No Lard' Label Deemed Not to Fully Guarantee Product Halal Status

The trend of using the “no pork no lard” label in various restaurants and food vendors is deemed not to necessarily guarantee that a product is truly halal. The public is urged not to rely solely on the absence of pork elements but also to consider the processes and other ingredients used.

Halal content creator Dian Widayanti stated that public understanding of halal currently often stops at whether or not pork is present in food. However, she firmly noted that the concept of halal is far broader than just the claim of “no pork no lard.”

“If we talk about halal, it turns out it’s not just about food and drink,” Dian said during the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) Road to ISF 2026 titled “Beyond Awareness: From Lifestyle to Inclusion,” organised by Republika together with FoSSEI in Jakarta on Wednesday (13/5/2026).

She gave examples of how many people are still unaware of the use of non-halal additives in food and everyday products. Dian mentioned several foods that appear halal but may not truly meet halal standards due to ingredients such as mirin, angciu, or certain types of gelatin.

According to her, this situation indicates that public halal literacy still needs to be strengthened.

“Sometimes people just see ‘no pork no lard’ and then feel that it’s already halal,” she said.

OJK data also indicates that the increasing awareness of sharia lifestyle is one of the factors driving the development of the sharia economy and finance in Indonesia. However, Dian believes that the rise in the halal trend needs to be accompanied by a more comprehensive understanding so that the public does not stop at mere symbols or labels.

According to her, halal also encompasses cosmetics, health, fashion, and sharia finance.

“Halal includes cosmetics, fashion, finance, and also health,” she stated.