Swiss Supreme Court Bans Animal-Specific Terms on Vegan Product Labels

The Swiss Supreme Court has ruled to ban the use of animal-specific terms like "chicken" and "pork" on vegan food product labels, declaring that such terms are misleading to consumers and in violation of national food labeling laws. The decision follows a legal dispute involving Planted Foods and federal food safety authorities, with the court overturning a previous ruling that found no issue with using meat-associated names on plant-based packaging. While terms like "steak" and "fillet" are still allowed, names directly linked to animal species are now prohibited on vegan items.

Planted Foods, a leading producer of plant-based protein products in Switzerland, has criticized the ruling, arguing that it creates unnecessary bureaucracy and goes against national efforts to promote a shift towards plant-based diets. This decision is expected to influence labeling practices not only in Switzerland but also in Europe, where the use of terminology for alternative protein products is still a subject of debate. The ruling sets a precedent for future European regulatory discussions on plant-based terminology, as Switzerland becomes the first European jurisdiction to implement a ban on species-specific meat terms in the marketing of vegan food products.