France is cracking down on vegetarian products using meat-related terms on labels. A new decree targets meat-alternative products to prevent confusion.
The French government announced the ban on Tuesday. It stops meat-free items from using names like "steak" and "ham." The aim is to reserve these terms exclusively for actual meat products.
This move highlights the ongoing battle between the meat and vegetarian sectors. They're vying for consumer attention with meat-like products, without using real meat. The government, however, believes terms like "vegetarian ham" could mislead consumers.
Violators of this law could face hefty fines. Individuals risk a $1,630 fine, while companies could be fined over $8,000.
Producers have a one-year grace period to adjust. They can sell off their current stock without facing penalties.
Meat products with some plant content can still use traditional meat terms. This exception is outlined in the new decree.
This is part of a larger conflict between meat and plant-based industries. Both sides have seen legal wins and losses over the years.
In 2020, a similar law was put into place. It faced legal challenges and was paused in 2022 by the Conseil d'État, following a complaint from Proteines France, a plant-based food company representative.
