Italy Rethinking Its Plant-Based Meat Labelling Ban to Avoid ‘Conflict with Italian Companies’

Italy initially implemented a ban on using meat-like terms on plant-based product labels, causing backlash from food industry groups and local manufacturers. The ban was introduced alongside legislation prohibiting cultivated meat, but Unione Italiana Food argued that consumers were not confused by plant-based product labelling and that existing regulations provided adequate consumer protection. Following this, Italy withdrew the notification to the EU and Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida reconsidered the ban, expressing a desire to avoid conflict with Italian companies. Discussions with supply chain players are ongoing to develop a shared plan for labelling plant-based products, with the aim of balancing industry needs and consumer protection. With plant-based sales showing growth in Italy, the outcome of these discussions will be closely watched.