Swiss Supreme Court Forbids Animal References on Plant-Based Food Labels

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court has ruled that plant-based food products cannot use nonhuman animal names on their labels. This decision followed a legal dispute dating back to 2021, where a company was banned from using terms associated with animal flesh on its pea protein-based products. The Court stated that names like ‘chicken’ or ‘pork’ on vegan meat alternatives would mislead consumers, and plant-based products must be labeled in a way that clearly distinguishes them from animal-based counterparts.

The ruling prohibits any references to animal species on vegan food labels, even if accompanied by terms like ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based.’ This decision aligns with a previous ruling by the European Court of Justice, indicating a growing trend towards regulating terminology on plant-based alternatives at both national and EU levels.