Assalamualaikum, since I was born, I’ve been living in south east Asia where I’m privileged to have an Islamic council that put emphasis on having halal certificates on foods and most importantly, shops. This means that I have never have any need to know on what to look out for in halal food (excluding the basics eg no alcohol, how the meat is slaughtered etc)
However I was wondering, what happens to the Muslims in the European countries where halal certification is not a prominent thing. How do they consume their food? I am asking this question as in the event that I go overseas for whatever reason, I would like to know how do I choose my food. And how do I buy my food? Especially if I have to eat out at shops. How do I know I can eat or buy the food from that shop. Does the food being vegan or vegetarian and claims no alcohol safe for consumption?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The default ruling with regard to eating the food of the disbelievers other than slaughtered animals – like vegetarian food – is that it is permissible, and there is no problematic aspect in this regard even if they are not from the People of the Book.

The problematic aspect, however, lies in consuming the meat of their slaughtered animals. If the majority of the population in a non-Muslim country are from the People of the Book (Jews or Christians), then the meat of their slaughtered animals is lawful for consumption in principle. Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you...} [Quran 5:5] As for other disbelievers, the meat of their slaughtered animals is unlawful for consumption.

However, due to the prevalence of electrocution and other unlawful slaughtering methods (in such countries), the contemporary scholars hold different opinions regarding the lawfulness of consuming the meat of slaughtered animals in the countries of the People of the Book if it is not known or believed that they were most likely slaughtered in accordance with the Islamic Sharee‘ah. Some hold that the meat of such animals is unlawful for consumption, while others believe that it is lawful, acting upon the default state of lawfulness. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen believed that the lawfulness is the preponderant opinion in this regard. He was asked: “What is the ruling on consuming the meat of the animals slaughtered by the People of the Book in their countries, noting that they do not slaughter in accordance with the Sharee‘ah?” He replied: “Allah, The Exalted, Says (what means): {…and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you...} [Quran 5:5] and stopped at that, so whatever they believe to be food and it is not in itself prohibited is lawful for consumption, and you should not ask about it any further, except what you know with certainty is unlawful. For example, we do not eat pork because it is in itself prohibited. As for the meat of lambs and goats, we eat it unless we know that this particular animal was not slaughtered in accordance with the Sharee‘ah.” [End of quote]

Allah Knows best.