France wants to ban ‘meat-like’ names for meat substitutes | Economy
Soon you may not find a vegetarian “steak” or “spare ribs” in a French supermarket. The French government wants to restrict the use of animal names for plant alternatives.
In het kort
- Frankrijk wil dierlijke namen voor plantaardige alternatieven verbieden.
- Boeren en vleesbedrijven strijden al langer tegen namen als ‘vegetarische schnitzel’ omdat ze die misleidend vinden.
- De Franse regering kijkt nu of het verbieden van de namen in strijd is met de EU-regelgeving.
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Farmers and meat companies have long battled against terms like “veggie burger” or “vegan hot dog.” They claim that these names confuse consumers.
This isn’t the first time that plant-based meat names have been discussed. And in 2020, the European Parliament has already voted to refer to animal products in meat alternatives. Some say the names are misleading.
Parliament then voted against the motion. As a result, veggie burgers are still found on shelves everywhere in Europe.
The plan violates EU rules, according to the lawyer
The French court has now sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union before making a final ruling.
According to the lawyer representing the makers of the plant-based alternatives, the plan to ban the meat names would violate EU regulations. Animal names like “Spare Ribs” do not have a strict legal definition.
If the decision is issued, it will take at least three months before it comes into force. This gives manufacturers time to adapt their labels.
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