The court suspended the food labelling ban after expressing serious doubt about its legality and deemed it ‘unjustified‘ in terms of providing accurate consumer information. 

In a recent turn of events, The French Conseil d’Etat – France’s highest court – has temporarily overturned the divisive ban on “meaty” names for plant-based foods.

The ban proposed by the country’s government was set to come into effect from October 2022.

It was supposedly initiated to prevent “consumer confusion” and implied that French producers could no longer use meat names such as “sausage,” “steak,” “bacon,” and “chicken” on their plant-based products.

France would have been the first European Union member to impose restrictions of this kind despite being the largest producer of beef among the member states and the 7th largest in the world.

The reprieve came following an appeal from plant-based and alternative protein- focused association Protéines France.

The consortium’s members include French food manufacturers and retailers including agri-food group Avril, Groupement Les Mousquetaires and dairy giant Savencia Fromage & Dairy, as well as Swiss giant Nestlé.

In its statement, members of the body argued that the affected companies would not have sufficient time to make needed changes to the branding and marketing before the deadline.

The court also expressed serious doubt about the ban’s legality and deemed it unjustified in terms of providing consumer information.

‘Delighted’

ProVeg International, which has been vociferously opposing the ban, welcomed the suspension of the French Decree.

In a statement, the vice president of the organisation, Jasmijn de Boo said: “We are delighted to hear that the French Conseil d’Etat has decided to suspend the decree prohibiting names for plant-based products.

 “Plant-based foods are part of the solution to tackling the climate crisis and any regulation should actively support their sale and marketing, not hamper it.”

However, other members of the public expressed their dissatisfaction with the French ban suspension.

The General Directorate for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF) maintained that since the law was first passed in 2020, plant-based manufacturers had enough time to make the required changes.

Moreover, French farmers’ unions – including the country’s largest FNSEA –called out Protéines France for their ill-informed move.

“What are the real motivations of Protéines France? Have the consequences on farmers been measured? This is all the more surprising since member companies of Protéines France exist thanks to animal husbandry, a local, historical and growing outlet for their production,” the statement read.

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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