Labeling News - vegconomist: the vegan business magazine

Chile: New Bill to Define and Label Plant-Based Alternatives as “Simulated Food”

August 12, 2024August 12, 2024

In Chile, a new bill to regulate the food tech industry and establish a statute for fair competition between traditional and plant-based food industries is being considered. The proposed legislation, authored by Representative Harry Jürgensen, aims to protect consumer rights and prevent misleading practices in the food industry. “The proposal establishes a statute for fair competition between animal-origin foods and plant-origin foods when the latter imitates the properties of the former. To this end, it distinguishes between natural and synthetic origin so that all people are clearly aware of the types of foods they are consuming,” says the press release from the Chamber of Deputies. “Simulated food” The bill, which has recently passed through the Agriculture Committee and is now being debated at the Chamber …

Organisations and brands:

NotCo

Petition calls for standardised labelling of vegan and vegetarian foods in New Zealand

Image: NZ Vegetarian Society

Charity & Campaigns

Petition Calls for Standardised Labelling of Vegan & Vegetarian Products in New Zealand

July 8, 2024

The NZ Vegetarian Society (NZVS) and the Vegan Society of Aotearoa have partnered to launch a petition advocating clear and standardised labelling for vegan and vegetarian foods in New Zealand. The organisations are calling on the government to implement legislation to prevent consumer confusion, following an increase in the use of terms such as “plant-based” or “less dairy” for products that may contain animal ingredients. They argue that ambiguous labelling impacts not just vegans and vegetarians but also allergy sufferers and people who avoid certain foods for religious reasons. The petition says that products marked “vegan” must be completely free of animal-derived ingredients, while vegetarian products should not contain meat, seafood, or other ingredients resulting from animal slaughter (such as gelatine or rennet). Additionally, if …

Organisations and brands:

NZ Vegetarian Society

Vegan Society of Aotearoa

Studies & Numbers

Majority of Italians Support Using ‘Meaty’ Terms in Plant-Based Products Labels

July 1, 2024

A new survey by YouGov on plant-based product labels in Italy, commissioned by the Good Food Institute Europe, reveals that 68% of Italian consumers believe companies should be able to use “meaty” terms freely for plant-based products. At the same time, 69% believe that terms like ‘hamburger’ and ‘milk’ are appropriate for describing plant-based products, and only 21% feel these terms should be restricted because they could confuse consumers. Francesca Gallelli, Public Affairs Consultant at the Good Food Institute Europe, shared, “Our survey confirms that consumers understand terms like plant-based sausage and ham and that the ban on meat-sounding terms does not introduce any necessary protections; on the contrary, it is bound to create confusion, complicating access to products that play a key role in diversifying …

Organisations and brands:

Good Food Institute Europe

Politics & Law

Thailand Proposes New Labeling Restrictions for Plant-Based Products

June 25, 2024

Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration has drafted new regulations that could impose labeling restrictions on plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Under the proposed legislation, plant-based companies will still be able to use terms that indicate the shape of the product, such as “mince”, “sausages”, and even “bacon”. However, they will need to clearly specify that the products are plant-based. The term “meat” will not be allowed, and neither will names for specific types or grades of meat (such as “pork”, “chicken”, or “wagyu”). Using images of farm animals, or any marking that is deemed to imply the product is of animal origin, will also be prohibited. For dairy alternatives, descriptions such as “soy milk” or “almond milk” will be permitted, but terms that are said …

Organisations and brands:

Food and Drug Administration Thailand

Image courtesy of Heura

Meat- and Fish Alternatives

Spanish Seafood Producers & Consumer Unions Claim Plant-Based Seafood Labelling is Deceptive

June 18, 2024

A group of over 20 Spanish seafood companies and consumer unions has accused plant-based seafood producers of misleading consumers through their labelling. The organisations — which include Apromar, Cepesca, Interfish, Conexmar, ConsumES, and more —- have announced their intention to join SAFE Food Advocacy Europe to urge European authorities to place stricter regulations on plant-based products. They say these foods should not be able to imitate fish or shellfish. While the companies claim their objections are mostly centred around the “deception” of consumers, there are clearly other factors at play. Conexmar says the marketing of plant-based seafood “may lead to unfair competition”, while Miguel López Crespo, the vice president of ConsumES, admits that “we are also concerned about the damage that this type of product …

Products & Launches

Hellmann’s Rebrands Vegan Mayo to Appeal to a Wider Consumer Base

May 31, 2024May 31, 2024

Hellmann’s UK has announced it is renaming its vegan mayo to “Plant-Based Mayo” with the aim of appealing to a broader range of consumers. The company said its consumer research had shown that the word “vegan” deters some flexitarians, who feel that the product isn’t intended for them. The term “plant-based” is reportedly seen as more inclusive. The mayo’s recipe has also been altered; it now contains less rapeseed oil, while sunflower oil and xanthan gum have been added. The updated product is currently rolling out at supermarkets in 400ml glass jars and 430ml and 750ml squeezy bottles. Some other brands are also moving away from the word “vegan”. Magnum — which, like Hellmann’s, is owned by Unilever — has previously launched several plant-based ice …

Organisations and brands:

Hellmann's

Politics & Law

India’s PBFIA Calls for Plant-Based Milk Labeling Restrictions to Be Eased

May 22, 2024

Speaking at the Plant Based Foods Summit in New Delhi on May 21, India’s Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) has called for the easing of labeling restrictions that currently prevent the use of the word “milk” on plant-based product packaging. Currently, milk alternatives sold in India are required to be labeled with the disclaimer “This is not dairy”, and the use of any dairy terms on their packaging is banned. But Sanjay Sethi, Executive Director of PBFIA, urged the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to reconsider. This would not be unprecedented; in the US, the FDA released draft guidance last year stating that milk alternatives can be called “milk”, in recognition of the fact that this terminology is commonly used by …

Organisations and brands:

PBFIA

Politics & Law

Johannesburg High Court Overturns Seizure of Meat Alternatives in South Africa

April 11, 2024

The Johannesburg High Court has overturned the planned seizure of plant-based meat alternatives marketed using “meat-like” terms in South Africa. These products will now remain permanently available in the country. South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) first banned the use of meat-like terms on plant-based product labels in June 2022, arguing that it was misleading to consumers. The department instructed the Food Safety Agency to seize any non-compliant products. However, plant-based advocates took the case to the Johannesburg High Court, successfully arguing that plant-based meat alternatives were not covered by legislation relating to the classification and labelling of processed meats. The court temporarily halted the planned seizure of the products in August 2022. Almost a year later, the seizure was …

Organisations and brands:

Consumer Goods Council of South Africa

ProVeg

Politics & Law

“There is No Problem to Fix”: UK Government Urged to Reject Plant-Based Dairy Labelling Guidance

March 4, 2024

Food awareness organisation ProVeg UK has called on the UK government to stop the publication of guidance that would restrict the labelling of plant-based dairy alternatives. The guidance has been drawn up by the Food Standards & Information Focus Group (FSIFG), which aims to help trading standards officers interpret inherited EU laws. It is set to be published at Easter, and would prevent plant-based dairy companies from using terms such as “not milk”, “cheeze”, or even “alternative to milk”. But ProVeg argues that the guidance will stifle the plant-based industry instead of taking advantage of opportunities for growth. The UK is the second-largest consumer of plant-based alternative proteins in Europe, and is home to many alt dairy companies. “One of the reasons the UK voted …

Organisations and brands:

ProVeg

Politics & Law

Italy Signals Willingness to Revisit Plant-Based Labelling Restrictions Following Industry Feedback

February 29, 2024

Two days ago, France issued a decree prohibiting companies from using familiar food names such as ‘salami’ or ‘steak’ to protect consumers from confusing plant-based products with animal foods. Italy passed a similar ban last November, also arguing that plant-based meat labels mislead and confuse consumers. Nonetheless, the government is open to reconsidering its restrictions (which are yet to be enforced) if they hurt Italian businesses. As reported by local media, the government is negotiating with Unione Italian Food, which represents the plant-based food sector, to work together to reach a mutual agreement on how to label alternatives to meat. During previous talks, he emphasized that his goal is not to harm Italian companies but to balance business interests and consumer protection. “We intended to open a discussion …

Organisations and brands:

Good Food Institute Europe

January 16, 2024January 16, 2024

After five years of legal battle, the French Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Nutrition & Santé Group (owner of Gerblé, Céréal, ValpiBio, Valpiform) which had been accused by the meat lobby Interbev (Association Nationale Interprofessionnelle du Bétail et des Viandes) of unfair competition and misleading plant-based meat labels, announces the Association Végétarienne de France. The court confirmed that a risk of confusion between “steak” and “veggie steak” had not been established. In the court’s view, consumers can distinguish between the different categories if the packaging and advertisements “clearly” indicate that the product is plant-based, reports the French media. Against plant-based meat This ruling favoring plant-based meat is a significant setback for the French government, which recently renewed proposals to prohibit more than 21 meat …

Organisations and brands:

NUTRITION & SANTE

ProVeg International

Politics & Law

Arizona Introduces Legislation Challenging Cultivated Meat Industry

January 15, 2024

Joining the list of states considering similar measures, Arizona has proposed multiple new legislations that could redefine the legal framework surrounding cultivated meat. The first bill under consideration, Bill 2244, was introduced by State Representative Quang Nguyen, a Republican and Chair of Public Safety, focusing on the labeling and sale of cultivated meat products. House Bill 2244 mandates that “A person who places a label on a food product may not intentionally misbrand or misrepresent a product that is not derived from livestock or poultry as meat, a meat food product, poultry or a poultry product.” This encompasses cell-cultured food items and synthetic products derived from plants, insects, or other sources. The bill’s emphasis is on preventing the misbranding of these products as traditional meat. …

Belgium ends war on plant-Based food labeling

Politics & Law

Belgium Ends War on Plant-Based Food Labelling: Vegan Burgers & Steaks Can Keep Their “Meaty” Names

January 15, 2024January 5, 2024

Article update 15 Jan 2024: Fien Louwagie, Communications Manager, ProVeg Belgium, said: “Whilst the process for developing the guidelines has not officially changed, we believe it is unlikely to get any further before the next election. We hope that, post-election, the new Government will acknowledge the fact that consumers are not confused at all by plant-based foods carrying “meaty” names and will therefore abandon the development of guidelines altogether.” The Belgian government has concluded the so-called “veggie war,” allowing plant-based products to display meaty names such as ‘vegan burger’ or ‘vegan steak‘, as revealed by Nieuwsblad. The Minister of Economy, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, recently announced that Belgium would not establish guidelines on naming and labelling vegetarian and vegan products. The decision came amidst significant disagreement at the …

Organisations and brands:

ProVeg International

Politics & Law

NotCo Challenges Dairy Allegations in Court: 99% of Consumers Know it’s NOT MILK

December 18, 2023

In a recent appeal against a court ruling prohibiting the use of the NotMilk trademark in Chile, NotCo presented a study by Cadem, showing that most consumers understand that NotMilk is a plant-based beverage despite its branding and packaging displaying the word “milk,” reports La Tercera. Cadem, the country’s leading market research and public opinion company, demonstrates in its Analysis of the reception of the NotMilk product by consumers in Chile that only 0.1% of participants believe that NotMilk comes from a cow. The legal battle began in late 2020 when the dairy farmers union Aproval (Los Ríos Region Milk Producers’ Association) filed a lawsuit alleging “unfair competition” and accusing the food tech company of capitalizing on the reputation of milk and confusing consumers. Last May, the court’s …

Organisations and brands:

NotCo

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information for decision-makers