French ‘Veggie Burger’ Labelling Ban Could Be Rejected by Country’s Highest Court

The French government's proposed ban on labelling plant-based meat products with terms like 'bacon' or 'steak' may be rejected by the country's top court, following a recommendation from the Conseil d'État's advocate-general. The advocate-general argues that the bans are not compatible with EU law and advises cancelling them, a move that would be a "landslide victory" for the plant-based industry.

This decision would echo a similar ruling by the European Court of Justice last year and mark a swing of victories for plant-based meat labels. The ban, which aimed to prohibit terms like 'ham' and 'sausage' on plant-based products, was seen as confusing for consumers and hindering the shift to a more sustainable food system. Other countries considering similar bans, such as Italy and South Africa, have faced pushback from food manufacturers and legal challenges from plant-based companies.