Abstract The majority of Muslims only consume Halal food because they believe the consumption of such foods is a commandment from Allah (God). Whilst Halal food may be readily available in Muslim-majority countries, Muslims living in the West often encounter a great deal of difficulty in finding Halal food. This led to the establishment of several unregulated Halal Certification Bodies (HCBs) within the European Union and other industrialized economies in an effort to assure Halal consumers that Halal certified products are consistent with the Islamic dietary laws. However, these HCBs operate according to varying Halal standards, brought about by differences in opinion regarding the interpretation of some aspects of the Islamic dietary laws enshrined in the Quran (Islamic Holy Book) and Hadith (Teachings of the Prophet of Islam). This has created confusion among food businesses and Halal consumers regarding what is true Halal, it also particularly makes the regulation of HCBs very cumbersome. This paper aims to review literature on the economic significance of the Halal food market and explore the activities of HCBs and the impact of these on UK Halal food businesses.