This decision brings an end to the long-standing debate over the labelling of plant-based foods, which had stirred controversy in countries like Poland and France, according to a statement from the Polish plant-based advocacy group RoślinnieJemy.
The court’s ruling on Friday clarified that plant-based products, such as soy sausages and burgers, can be labelled with names traditionally associated with meat. Meat industry lobbyists had long pushed for restrictions, arguing that terms like "burger" should be reserved for animal-based products.
"If no specific naming regulations are in place, EU member states cannot ban the use of terms traditionally linked to animal products for items containing plant proteins," the ECJ stated.
Plant-based sausages can be called "sausages"
This ruling followed a legal challenge to a French decree that prohibited plant-based products from using terms like "cutlet" or "sausage" on their labels. The case was brought forward by organizations such as the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), the French Vegetarian Association (AVF), and plant-based food companies including Beyond Meat.
The ECJ determined that EU countries can ban the use of such names for plant-based products, but only if they provide alternative naming conventions in their national laws. Otherwise, companies are free to use traditional names, the court ruled.
(jh)
Source: PAP, Interia