A Birmingham butcher has been fined for misleading customers by displaying unauthorised halal certification posters.

Mohammed Naseer, 39, owner of New Kashmir Halal Meat in Small Heath, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. He was fined £150 and ordered to pay £400 in court costs at Birmingham Crown Court.

Trading Standards officers visited the shop on Coventry Road in April 2013 and found posters displaying the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) logo. This suggested the meat being sold was certified by the HMC.

Upon inspection, officers found that the store was selling products from four suppliers that were not licensed or certified by HMC, meaning the posters were misleading.

Sajeela Naseer, Head of Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, emphasised the seriousness of food fraud:

“Consumers, particularly those who follow strict dietary guidelines in line with their religious beliefs, expect food labelling to accurately reflect the provenance of their food. The presence of an HMC logo reassures consumers the meat they’re buying has been inspected and approved, so even though these products were halal, the posters were misleading consumers.”

“Cases like this highlight the urgent need for transparency in the halal food industry. Even when the meat itself is halal, misuse of certification logos undermines consumer trust and unfairly damages the reputation of businesses that follow proper processes.

At VERIHALAL, we believe trust must be earned, not assumed. That’s why we help restaurants and suppliers showcase their genuine halal certification or verify their sourcing free of charge. This gives consumers confidence and ensures that businesses who do the right thing are recognised and supported.

Our mission is simple: no more confusion, no more doubt — only verified halal, delivered with integrity.”

Original reporting by Birmingham Newsroom Read more here.