Courts, governments turn against restrictions on the labelling of plant-based foods
Developments in three countries – the Czech Republic, France and the United Kingdom – have seen the tide turn dramatically against attempts to restrict the labelling of plant-based foods.
“We are heartened by developments in these three countries over the past few weeks, all of which are victories for common sense,” Jasmijn de Boo, Global CEO of ProVeg International, said.
“No-one is confused by terms such as “plant-based steak” and industry pressure to argue otherwise is a waste of time and resources.
“With these latest developments, it is time to put aside petty quarrels and focus on supporting societies, particularly in the industrialised world, in actively promoting greater consumption of healthy and sustainable plant-based food,” de Boo said.
In late January, a Czech Minister of Agriculture confirmed that “meaty” legal names will not be included in an amendment to a decree that, under the pretext of protecting consumers, would have introduced strict definitions of food and dishes such as burgers, sausages, schnitzels and meatballs. This change would have made it impossible for plant-based products to use these names, ruling out mushroom cutlets, soy sausages, or bean burgers.
This week, France’s highest court, the Conseil d’Etat, annulled two decrees that would have prohibited plant-based foods from using “meaty” names. The Conseil d’État declared the decrees to be “illegal and contrary to European regulation,” reaffirming the broader legal framework that governs food labelling across the EU.
Finally, in the UK in December 2024, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published the results of its own research which found that participants in their survey rarely reported that they unintentionally purchased a plant-based alternative when they intended to purchase dairy or meat (1).
“I would now encourage governments to develop and implement comprehensive Action Plans for Plant-Based Foods, as pioneered by Denmark, so that energy is channelled into creating a future food system that is healthy, tasty and climate-friendly,” de Boo said.
ProVeg was one of 130 organisations that have signed a letter directed at the European Commission calling for an EU-wide Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods to be developed by 2026. Meanwhile, Portugal’s government has announced its commitment to a strategy for promoting plant-based protein as part of a package of action on energy and the environment.
ENDS
Footnotes
- Discovery of Recent Changes in Consumer Behaviour around Food Information – FA0235 starting at page 149.
Notes to Editors
For media inquiries about ProVeg International, contact Peter Rixon at [email protected]
For scientific data about the benefits of plant-based eating, see our Food System Data website.
About ProVeg International
ProVeg International is a food awareness organization with the mission to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040. Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
