Swiss Ban on Plant-Based Meat Labels ‘Contradictory’ to National Nutrition Strategy

Switzerland's highest court has introduced labelling rules for plant-based meat products that would prevent the use of animal names like 'chicken' or 'beef' on packaging, leading to confusion among consumers. The ruling allows terms like 'steak' and 'fillet' to be used, but restricts others such as 'Planted chicken' or 'like chicken' from being used on product labels.

Planted, the country's leading meat-free manufacturer, criticized the decision as politically motivated and argued that it contradicts Switzerland's national nutrition strategy, which emphasizes plant-based nutrition. The court's decision, which aligns with EU legislation, prohibits certain terms on plant-based products that are allowed in other European countries, leading to uncertainty in the market and among consumers. As companies like Planted are forced to rename their products to comply with the law, the future of plant-based food labeling in Switzerland remains uncertain.