Meat Code Lookup
Every pack of UK meat carries a health mark with a number — either as an oval stamp or printed as "Slaughtered in: GB 1101". Type the number below to check if the slaughterhouse is HMC certified, handles pork, or unverified.
Find the oval stamp on the packaging
Just the number — ignore the GB/UK prefix
What is the UK meat oval stamp?
The health mark — often an oval stamp — is a legal requirement for all meat sold in Great Britain. Applied directly to the carcass after slaughter using edible, food-grade ink (typically purple), it confirms the meat was inspected and processed in a government-approved facility. On supermarket packs it often appears as printed text on the label: "Slaughtered in: GB 1101" or "Cut in: UK 5416" — same number, different format.
On fresh meat: purple ink pressed onto the carcass. On supermarket packs: often printed as text — "Slaughtered in: GB 4227" — on the back label.
Purpose
Confirms the meat was inspected, deemed safe, and processed in an FSA-registered facility. Without this mark, the meat cannot legally be sold in Great Britain.
What the codes mean
GB = England & Wales (FSA-registered) ·
UK = often Scotland (Food Standards Scotland) ·
NI = Northern Ireland (DAERA).
The number is the unique approval number for that specific slaughterhouse or cutting plant. Note: the "Cut in:" code on a label is a separate cutting plant — different from the slaughterhouse.
Where to find it
On supermarket packs: look for "Slaughtered in: GB XXXX" or "Slaughtered in: UK XXXX" printed on the back label — this is the same approval number, just written out instead of stamped. On a butcher's carcass: look for the physical purple oval pressed directly onto the meat.
Why it matters for halal
The stamp tells you where the animal was slaughtered — not how. Enter the number here to check if that facility is HMC certified, handles pork, or has unknown certification status.
All Slaughterhouses
Updated May 2026How it works
Find the health mark
On the back label of any UK meat pack, look for an oval stamp or text reading "Slaughtered in: GB XXXX" or "Slaughtered in: UK XXXX".
Search from any page
Type the digits into the search bar at the top of the site — no need to navigate here first. Just the number, no GB or UK prefix needed.
Get the answer
We show the slaughterhouse name, species handled, whether they process pork, and if they hold HMC certification.
Coverage — England & Wales only: This database uses the
FSA Approved Establishments register,
which covers England & Wales only. Scottish establishments (regulated by
Food Standards Scotland)
and Northern Irish establishments (regulated by DAERA) are not yet included.
If you see a UK prefix on a label from Scottish beef or lamb, that code will not be found here —
Scotland coverage is coming soon.
What "Not HMC Certified" means: No pork handling recorded with the FSA, but not in the HMC certified list. Many such facilities hold HFA or other certification — always check the pack logo or contact the producer directly.
Slaughtered in vs Cut in: The "Slaughtered in" code is the abattoir (what we check). The "Cut in" code is the cutting plant — a separate facility that portions the carcass. Both appear on some labels but only the slaughter establishment code reflects the halal slaughter method.
Also checking the ingredients?
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