The highest court of the European Union (EU) ruled on Friday that the “steak” plant and “sausage” vegetable “have as much right to their name as their meatier counterparts”reports Politico.
Court judges have ruled that EU countries cannot ban companies that make plant-based meat alternatives from calling them “steaks”, “ham” or “sausages”.
“This is a victory for the French pressure group Proteines France, which launched legal action last year alongside two other vegetarian associations and [l’entreprise californienne] Beyond Meat, after the French government banned it from using terms like steak and ham for its plant-based protein products”observes the information site.
The French ban, via two decrees published in June 2022 and February 2024, responded to a demand from the animal sector, for whom the adjective is associated “vegetal” to meat products was likely to sow confusion among consumers. An argument considered far-fetched by those in the vegetarian and vegan products sector.
The ban was, however, suspended in summary proceedings by the Council of State, pending this opinion from the CJEU on their compliance with the European regulation.
“It is now up to the French Council of State to make a final decision”said a spokesperson for the European Commission in Brussels on Friday.
