Lays – 100% Halal

| May 23, 2009 | 16 Comments

Lays

As I had been doing the media planning for Pepsi Foods for a couple of years, I remember that just before resigning some negative hype was being created by Royal News against Lays. The channel kept on claiming that Lays is not Halal to grab some attention from all ends, which it did but for a very short time.

And as I keep mentioning in different forums that one basic role media plays is to confuse the mind of the viewer in one way or the other. But it’s the viewer who has to ultimately decide what he/she is listening or watching can that be true? Does it really make sense? Can we blindly believe it?  Somehow, a major chunk of the audiences do fall for everything they see without questioning much.

Anyway, coming back to how the channel was defaming the brand. Following the channel, some publications too published articles promoting the same about Lays.

In  return the brand responded with some positive marketing in various publications and sms. I came across a group on facebook “Lays is 100% Halal”.  Their message is simple and clear:

“Lays is produced in Pakistan by MUSLIM employees who make the potato chips in VEGETABLE OIL. The company has confirmed that E631 used in Lays is obtained from Cassava PLANT and is CERTIFIED by CENTRAL ISLAMIC COMMITTEE AND JAMIA ASHRAFIA as 100% HALAL. Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR), an established Government body has also verified that Lays contains ONLY Vegetable Oils. See “HALAL” seal on its pack. Inform our Muslim brothers who are misinformed. WassalamLays is produced in Pakistan by MUSLIM employees who make the potato chips in VEGETABLE OIL. The company has confirmed that E631 used in Lays is obtained from Cassava PLANT and is CERTIFIED by CENTRAL ISLAMIC COMMITTEE AND JAMIA ASHRAFIA as 100% HALAL. Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR), an established Government body has also verified that Lays contains ONLY Vegetable Oils. See “HALAL” seal on its pack. Inform our Muslim brothers who are misinformed”

(Source: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=88496861058)

I am not promoting anything here…my only purpose was to share the news and the response.  People can still believe whatever they want to believe.  But I would just say that it does make a huge difference when you look at the source of the information because at the end of the day that does draw a completely different picture. A reliable source is what we must look out for.  And just bear in mind that statements are passed all the time but if the statements are not supported by substantial truth and facts, it’s just a matter of time and all is forgotten.

Tags: Central Islamic Committee and Jamia Ashrafia, channel, chips, Facebook, government body, Halal, Jamia Ashrafia, Lays, Media, media planning, mind, MUSLIM, muslim brothers, negative hype, news, pakistan, Pepsi Foods, positive marketing, potato chips, Publications, royal news, SMS, snacks, Source, time, VEGETABLE, vegetable oil, vegetable oils, viewer

Category: Brands, Other Stuff

About the Author (Author Profile)

Writer, Blogger, Copywriter & Animal Rights Activist.
MBA in Marketing
Author of “Pakistani Media: The Way Things Are” and
Co-author of “If Mortals Had Been Immortals and Other Short Stories”

  • Naveed Zuberi

    With reference to the rumor propogated by a TV channel regarding Lays Chips being a halal or haraam food, a friend of mine contacted the Head of R&D Department. She in return provided all the details of the ingredients as well as certifications from different Islamic Universities.

    I dont know if I can share that PDF file with you people over here or not. I dont see any attachment button over here.

    If any one would like to have a look at the official Lays statement regarding the issue, contact me with no hesitation.

  • http://www.saroshwaiz.com Sarosh Waiz

    Absolutely! People start believing things without any authentication. And its not about only people believing in such things as well, in fact these things should not even have been printed or aired through the media channel or publication at the first place.

    And Naveed, if you would like to share the PDF file, I might be able to help you. We can try doing it by sharing JPEGS in a separate post. I just hope it’s not something confidential that we are not allowed to make public. Just confirm that and let me know :) . It would definitely help all of us.

  • Fz

    A very goood example that we dont have any accountability in our media.We can tarnish any brands image just by using our so called ISLAMIC values….Honestly speaking and i am saying with full confidence our population of 164 million.How many ppl read the labels and check if the product is halal or haram?.Our society has been corrupted to the core and these so called guards of our religion should be stoned for bringing religion and using it for their own benefit.Cheap publicity…basss yahi hai aur kuch nahi.Haram Halal,we should move past that, though as a muslim halal food should be notified on all packaging. Studies show increase in sales from the muslim target segment where products are declared halal on their packaging.But we are living in the “ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN” do we have to be scared that were consuming prohibited food :/?

  • Farhan

    What about Lays manufactured and consumed outside of Pakistan?

  • http://www.saroshwaiz.com Sarosh Waiz

    A very good point raised by Farhan. Although we shouldn’t care about Lays being consumed outside Pakistan because it the concern of the respective countries themselves.

    But what about the imported Lays coming in through other channels available on the shelves?

  • Sarah Taarik

    Nice point raised Sarosh..well for that matter you have to have your eyes wide open and turn your stare towards the “ingredients” before even taking them to the cashier..that is if you want to prevent yourself from consuming anything haraaaam..

  • http://www.saroshwaiz.com Sarosh Waiz

    Very true Sarah… thats what I wanted to point out, that we shouldn’t just run after every imported stuff and we should be responsible enough to look at the ingredients then also..

  • Faiz Kazi

    The other day i was going through the CIA declassified docs about how they managed to infiltrate and mess up the black panthers and this doesn’t seem so much different. The only difference is that the scenario and purpose is different.
    This paves path for a more sinister idea, so basically what Lays suffered was from a counter campaign (useless to wonder now if it was intentional or not), come to think of it one could always open up a counter campaign agency(CCA) in Pakistan :) easier to get results, ripe supply of talent for the jobs in such an agency and what not lol
    The rumor industry in Pakistan is always growing and well there’s one thing we Pakis are good at (atleast most)… DESTRUCTION :p

  • http://www.saroshwaiz.com Sarosh Waiz

    Although I loved your idea of opening up a CCA, a counter campaign agency, which is a great and a unique idea in it self. But wouldn’t this raise a question of ethics? Since most of us as marketers would really want fair play, because thats when the true test of marketing strategies and campaigns comes in to play …

  • http://www.kashifiat.wordpress.com kashifiat
  • http://www.missionrescuepakistan.com Ramlah

    I got an sms, saying that Lays chips is Haram and it is made using pig fat, I didn’t pay any attention to it as I knew it just can’t be true…I think the company was too quick to respond..and they came up with junaid jamshed saying its not haram…this has raised more questions and people who were like not aware are now questioning as to whats up with this Halal Haram thing..

  • moazzam

    can someone tell me if lays is Halal…………..oh wait ill just read the article

  • Nouman Hussaini

    The Only question is:

    “Has M/s Lays’ have obtained a certificate after getting terir products tested in Pakistani Food agencies?”

    Answer is BIG NOOOOO! But in other developed countries, one has to certify/test their product before bringing it into market.

    If LAYS ppl are so innocent, then why the ignore our concerned agencies and trample the law under their multinational infulence!!!

    -Nouman-

  • http://pakmediablog.net/brands/follow-up-lays-100-halal/ Follow Up – Lays 100% HALAL : PakMediaBlog

    [...] am writing as a follow up article to Zaira’s post of “Lays – 100% HALAL.” The whole issue of Lays being HARAM falls onto the claim that Lays uses an ingredient known [...]

  • http://..none... zeenat durrani

    Muslim brothers and sisters please verify that the enzyme used to produce the E631 from the CASSAVE PLANT IS OF HALAL SOURCE. IT IS THIS THE ENZYME USED IN THE FERMENTATION PROCESS OF THE CASSAVA TO DERIVE E631 THAT IS DEEMED FROM UNHALAL..IE PORK SOUECES THAT MAKES ALL PRODUCTS USING THEM UNHALAL.

    fROM MALAYSIA.

  • http://www.sahgalelectronics.com mustafa

    salam
    sir
    i am open the distribution of LAYS in RWP.

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