
The French Council of State says plant-based bacon is here to stay!
In a victory for plant-based food producers, the French Council of State has ruled that terms like “steak,” “sausage,” and “bacon” can continue to be used for plant-based products. The court struck down two controversial decrees that sought to ban the use of traditional meat-related terms in plant-based marketing, calling them “illegal and contrary to European regulation.”
With this ruling, plant-based companies in France are free to continue using familiar labels like “soy steak” and “vegetable sausage” to describe their products.
“This is a victory of common sense in the face of pressure from intensive livestock farming lobbies,” said Nicolas Schweitzer, CEO of La Vie, one of the companies involved in the legal battle.
La Vie took to social media to celebrate the annulment, describing the legal ruling as a victory over influential industry forces
The dispute began in 2020 when French lawmakers introduced a law banning meat-related terms for plant-based products. This was followed by a government decree in 2022, prohibiting the use of 21 words, including “steak,” “ham,” and “grilled,” on plant-based labels. Then, in 2023, a second decree was proposed, targeting 120 more terms such as “bacon” and “nuggets,” with fines of up to €1,500 for individuals and €7,500 for companies found in non-compliance.
However, the Council of State ruled that these decrees conflicted with EU laws, which prevent member states from imposing their own food labeling regulations. This decision followed a referral to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which stated that such bans could only be implemented if a country first legally defined meat products and their descriptive terms. The court also emphasized that national laws cannot impose plant protein thresholds for labeling.
Last year, the implementation of the 2022 decree was temporarily suspended after several plant-based food companies, including La Vie, challenged the legislation. Following the recent ruling, plant-based manufacturers in France will be allowed to continue using familiar terms like “soy steak” and “vegetable sausage” in their product labels and marketing.
The main argument behind these proposed bans has been the claim that consumers are confused when they see labels like ‘veggie burger’ or ‘vegan chicken.’ However, numerous studies have debunked this notion, showing that most consumers can easily distinguish between plant-based and animal-derived proteins.
Rafael Pinto, senior policy manager at the European Vegetarian Association (EVU), criticized these efforts, stating that they “do nothing but confuse consumers,” ultimately hindering the shift towards a more sustainable food system. “The data is clear, consumers are not confused by the use of traditional denominations for plant-based products,” he explained.
He further added, “Policymakers should focus on promoting better conditions for farmers, citizens, and innovation, instead of politicizing a non-issue.”
France is not the only country targeting vegan product labels. Similar legislative efforts are happening globally. Just last month, the UK Court of Appeal ruled that Oatly, the Swedish plant-based brand, could no longer use the term “milk” for its products in marketing.
Read more: UK Court of Appeal to OATLY – “You Cannot Call It Milk”
However, such efforts are increasingly being challenged and overturned. In Italy, the government is reconsidering its ban on plant-based labels after strong opposition from the country’s top food manufacturers.
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