The law prohibiting the use of meat terms in alternative plant foods is suspended in France

Recently was announced in France the entry into force of the regulations that prohibited the use of meat terms in plant food products that imitate foods of animal origin. This new law was intended to put an end to an alleged deceptive commercial practice that confuses consumers and, in addition, meat terms that should be used exclusively for foods of animal origin would be protected.

Well now we can know that again The law prohibiting the use of meat terms in alternative plant foods is suspended in France. The country’s Council of State has paralyzed the government decree, following an appeal filed by several plant-based food producers and must now wait for the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The decree on the prohibition of the use of meat terms was to come into force on May 1, but the Council of State has determined that there are serious doubts about its legality. Among some things, it is argued that using terms associated with foods of animal origin is essential for the commercial strategy of these companies, and according to the regulatory schedule, it does not allow them to change their strategy, modify their brands, names, packaging. , marketing, etc., which would mean serious and immediate damage to the interests of companies.

The Council of State does not consider the entry into force of the decree urgent and affirms that the risk of confusion for consumers is non-existentFurthermore, he considers that there is no justification for the State’s intervention with the decree. Other issues are cited, such as, for example, that there is abuse of power, that the sanctions provided for in the regulation that was to come into force in May are disproportionate or that the French government intends to put an end to the preliminary ruling procedure initiated before the Court of Justice of the European Union that raises similar legal questions.

In the sentence (which you can read here) it is also argued that many of those Meat terms have been used by alternative plant food companies for a long time and they have been consolidated, it is even mentioned that they appear on the menus of some restaurants. In reality, time should not be wasted with these types of restrictions that in the end do nothing more than limit consumer options, but it seems that the government will continue trying, probably due to political and economic interests.

The commitment of the French government was that the decree would be published on February 27 and come into force on May 1, as part of the commitment assumed with the protesting farmers, and to protect French ranchers and avoid creating confusion among the consumers. However, and speaking of the main argument used to apply the regulations, it seems that it is increasingly evident that the use of meat terminology in plant products does not confuse consumerssomething that is demonstrated in some studies and surveys.

How we read herenow it will be a matter of waiting for the Court of Justice of the European Union to rule.