Sacré Beef: France’s Agriculture Ministry Proposes Labelling Ban for Plant-Based Meat Terms Like ‘Steak’, ‘Ham’ and…

France's agriculture ministry has proposed a ban on 21 terms like 'steak', 'beef', 'ham', and 'grilled' from plant-based meat labelling. The government also listed over 120 meat-related terms that can only be used if products contain a maximum share of vegan proteins between 0.5% to 6%. This move makes France the first EU country to attempt such a ban, despite facing controversy and criticism from meat-free groups.

The proposed ban, which applies only to products made and sold in France, reflects the government's aim to end misleading claims by ensuring transparency and loyalty to consumers and producers. However, the decree faces opposition from organizations representing vegan and vegetarian alternatives, who argue that terms like 'plant-based steak' have been in use for decades and the new decree breaches EU regulations on labelling. Additionally, a report by ProVeg International found that consumers are not confused by labelling of vegan products, with a majority finding labels like 'vegan' and 'plant-based' helpful in understanding the nature of the product.