Adil Al Hasan, Jakarta – Head of Indonesia's Halal Product Guarantee Organizing Agency (BPJPH) Ahmad Haikal Hasan, is set to enforce the mandatory halal certification requirement for all food and beverage products, including those from Padang, Tegal, Betawi, and other traditional food stalls.
Additionally, cosmetics and imported products entering Indonesia are also required to have halal certification. "By October 2026, it will be mandatory for everything to be halal," said Haikal when met at the South Jakarta area on Friday, October 3, 2025.
Haikal claims that Indonesia has the best halal certification system worldwide. According to him, many countries are learning from Indonesia. "Our system is the best; everyone is learning from us," he said.
In a previous statement, Haikal mentioned that Padang food stalls, etc., can obtain halal certification for free. He stated that business owners can apply for free halal certification, which is also a program from President Prabowo Subianto.
"We bring good news for our friends who own warteg (Javanese food stall), Sundanese food stalls, Padang food stalls, because now they can obtain halal certification for free," he said on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, as quoted in the written statement.
According to him, this step is a follow-up to the Head of BPJPH Decree Number 146 of 2025 concerning the Technical Guidelines for Halal Certification Services for Micro and Small Business Owners who are Aware of the Halal Statement from Micro and Small Business Owners. This decree is effective as of July 8, 2025, the date of its establishment. "With this new regulation, we will expedite and simplify the halal certification process," said Haikal.
Haikal mentioned that the purpose of the halal product process support scheme is to ensure that all traditional food stalls can easily obtain halal certification. With halal certification, food stalls are expected to have standards that will lead to increased competitiveness in the market.
"We want these many food stalls to compete with foreign restaurant franchises that are now widespread in the country. So, this is a healthy competition, with standards and quality," said Haikal.
According to Haikal, food providers or stalls that have obtained halal certification are increasingly trusted by consumers. This is because halal certification provides legal assurance of the halal status of products consumed and used by the public, particularly in Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim.
"We also want children to enjoy Indonesian menus, such as soto Betawi (stew), soto Bogor, satay, rendang, and other menus. So far, we've seen that children often go to foreign restaurant franchises," he said.