What is the difference between a halal certificate and a halal label on packaging?
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The halal logo displayed on packaging for food, drink, cosmetics and everyday products is among the information consumers consider before making a purchase. Behind the mark is a certification process that underpins recognition of a product’s halal status.
In Indonesia, halal certificates and halal labels serve different but related purposes. A halal certificate is an official document confirming a product’s halal status, while a halal label is a mark displayed on the product to show consumers that status.
The provisions are set out in Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance and Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024.
1. A halal certificate is official proof of a product’s halal status
A halal certificate is recognition that a product is halal. It is issued by the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) on the basis of a written halal fatwa or a determination of the product’s halal status by an authorised party, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
To obtain a certificate, businesses must go through a certification process that includes checking requirements and assessing the product. This covers the ingredients used and the production chain, from processing through to storage and distribution, to ensure halal requirements are met.
A halal certificate is therefore not merely a mark on packaging, but an official document that provides the basis for recognising a product’s halal status.
2. A halal label is a mark displayed on the product
Unlike a halal certificate, a halal label is a mark used to indicate that a product has obtained halal certification in accordance with the applicable rules.
The label may be displayed on the packaging, on a particular part of the product or in a specified place, as prescribed by the rules. It must be easy to see and read, and not easily erased, removed or damaged.
For consumers, the halal label makes it easier to identify certified products without having to inspect the certificate itself. For businesses, displaying the label is part of their obligations once a product has received halal certification.
The main difference between the two lies in their form and function. A halal certificate is an official document providing proof that a product has been recognised as halal, whereas a halal label is the mark shown to consumers.
The two are connected because a halal label is displayed only after a product has obtained a halal certificate. In other words, the label on packaging does not replace the certificate; it indicates that the product has undergone the certification process in accordance with the rules.
Consumers should also understand that a logo or wording resembling a halal label does not, by itself, prove that a product is certified. Certification status should be checked using official information.
4. Indonesia’s halal logo is determined by BPJPH
The Indonesian Government has established the form of the Indonesian Halal Label, which is used to identify products with halal certification. BPJPH is responsible for determining and regulating the label.
Rules on halal certificates and labels are set out in Law No. 33 of 2014 on Halal Product Assurance. The administration of halal product assurance is also governed by Government Regulation No. 42 of 2024, which replaced Government Regulation No. 39 of 2021.
The regulation governs the administration of halal product assurance, including certification requirements for products entering, circulating and being traded in Indonesia, in accordance with the applicable provisions and stages.
5. How to check whether a product has a halal certificate
Consumers need not rely solely on the logo shown on packaging. They can check certification status through BPJPH’s official services.
Check the label on the packaging. Make sure the halal mark is clearly visible and does not appear to be a logo created independently without certification.
Check the product details. The product and manufacturer names should match the information shown on the packaging.
Use official services. Consumers can search available certification information through BPJPH’s halal product information service at halal.go.id.
Do not treat a producer’s claim as an official certificate. Words such as “halal”, “natural” or “free from certain ingredients” do not automatically prove that a product has been certified halal.
These steps can help consumers obtain clearer information before buying or using a product.
Understanding the difference between a halal certificate and a halal label is important to prevent the public from misinterpreting information on packaging. The certificate is the official document recognising a product’s halal status, while the label is the mark consumers can identify.