France bans meat terms for vegan products

Recent developments in the French food industry have led to a significant change in the labeling of vegetarian products. The French government has ruled that the naming of vegetarian products can no longer refer to meat. This means terms such as 'steak', 'schnitzel', 'ham', 'filet', and 'entrecote' are now exclusively reserved for products of animal origin.

This regulation is a response to complaints from the meat industry. There was dissatisfaction with the use of traditionally meat-related terms for vegetarian and vegan products. It was believed that such names caused confusion among consumers. As early as 2020, a law was passed in France prohibiting the use of meat names for vegetarian products. However, following a complaint from Protéines France, a consortium of companies specializing in plant-based food, this law was temporarily suspended by the Council of State in June 2022.

Exceptions and European regulation

Interestingly, products with a small amount of plant content, such as certain sausages and cordon bleu, may still be sold under traditional meat names. Additionally, the import of vegetarian products with meat-related names from other EU countries remains permitted. This raises questions about the consistency of the French law in relation to the broader food legislation of the European Union, a point also raised by Protéines France.

Sanctions for violations

The new legislation comes with strict penalties. Violators of the labeling law can expect a fine of up to €1,500, which can rise to €7,500 for companies. However, producers have a grace period of one year to sell their existing stocks and adjust to the new rules.

Foodagribusiness.nl