Plant-based labelling ban suspended after “serious doubt” about legality
A ban on “meaty” labels for plant-based products in France has been suspended just weeks before its implementation date.
The ban, which was due to come into force on 1st May 2024, would have prohibited the use of labels such as ‘steak’, ‘escalope’ and ‘ham’ for plant-based products manufactured and marketed in France.
The decree was suspended after the summary judge said that a ban from 1st May would “seriously and immediately harm the interests of the companies that market these products”.
The French Council of State said there was “serious doubt about the legality of the decree”, as it also reported “serious doubt about the possibility of adopting such national measures with regard to the European regulation of 25th October 2011“.
A South African plant-based labelling ban was also scrapped at the same time, after the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) had worked to overturn the ban.
Executive head of legal regulatory and stakeholder engagement at CGCSA, Neo Momodu, said this would “further support the growth of a sector that has become an increasingly important source of alternative food for South Africans who have chosen a plant-based diet.”
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