What's on the label? France bans meat terminology on veggie alternatives
France has, this week (24 April), introduced a ban against using terminology relating to animal-based foods to describe their plant-based alternatives
24 April 2018
2 minute read
By: No longer may food producers who sell soya steaks, vegetarian sausages or veggie burgers be allowed to use such terminology and doing so could lead to a €300,000 fine. The rationale? According to the BBC, a farmer MP argues that these products and their meat-based terminology are confusing consumers.
"It is important to combat false claims. Our products must be designated correctly: the terms of #cheese or #steak will be reserved for products of animal origin," said Jean-Baptiste Moreau, a member of President Emmanuel Macron's political movement La République En Marche.
The regulation, in the form of an amendment to an agricultural bill, also applies to vegan and vegetarian products labelled as alternatives to dairy.
Ryan Johnson
Ryan worked in conservation from 2008 to 2017, during which time he operated a rainbow trout hatchery and helped to maintain public and protected green spaces in Canada for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. As editor of The Poultry Site, he now writes about challenges and opportunities in agriculture across the globe.
