Labeling

Good&Green / FelsineoVeg

© Good&Green / FelsineoVeg
Politics & Law

Italy Becomes Next Country to Propose “Misleading and Backwards” Restrictions on Plant-Based Meat Labels 

The Italian government becomes the next in a growing list of those proposing restricted labelling on plant-based meat from using “meaty” terms, in a move ProVeg describes as “misleading and backwards.” The bill notes that its efforts represent an attempt to protect livestock production in the country, even though animal agriculture is responsible for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions globally, explains ProVeg. “Plant-based foods emit half the amount of greenhouse gases as animal-based foods, so we need to introduce policies that actively encourage people to switch to more flexitarian diets,” urges Jasmijn de Boo, Vice President of ProVeg International. Nutritional concerns Furthermore, the bill argues that if plant-based meat brands use traditional meat terms on their labels, consumers could be confused about their nutritional …

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Modern Milkman

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Politics & Law

UK Government Urged to Reject Alt Dairy Labelling Restrictions as Survey Says Consumers Aren’t Confused

After the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance confirming that plant-based dairy alternatives can use the word “milk” on their packaging, the UK government has been urged to do the same. Plant-based brands are currently banned from using dairy-like terms in the UK due to an EU law from 1987. But following Brexit, the UK government could choose to remove the labelling restrictions. Unfortunately, the country’s Food Standards and Information Focus Group (FSIFG) is currently attempting to do the opposite, lobbying for labelling laws to be tightened. The proposed restrictions would ban phrases such as “alternative to milk”, along with terms like “mylk” and “cheeze”. While many have protested that the ban would serve no useful purpose — including Member of Parliament …

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Silk Launches NextMilk Dairy Lovers

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Politics & Law

FDA’s Draft Guidance on Plant-Based Milk Labelling: Experts Respond

Yesterday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance on plant-based milk labelling. The guidance, which is not legally binding, affirms that plant-based products can use the word “milk” on their packaging. The decision has been made based on FDA research which found that consumers are not confused by this usage, with most preferring the term “milk” over others such as “drink” or “beverage”. However, the FDA notes that plant-based milks do not contain the same balance of nutrients as cows’ milk, and suggests that manufacturers should make this clear on packaging with statements such as “50% more calcium than milk” or “Contains a lower amount of potassium than milk”. The document has already proven controversial; some commenters have welcomed the recognition that …

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integriculture's project for cultivated meat in japan

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Japanese PM Kishida Announces Intention to Develop Japan’s Cultivated Meat Industry

During a House of Representatives Budget Committee hearing, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced his intention to develop Japan’s cultivated meat industry, reports Nikkei. At the meeting, he stated that he would foster Japanese food tech businesses by promoting the sector and improving the market, including safety assurance measures and developing labelling rules. Responding to Mr. Nobuhiro Nakayama of the Liberal Democratic Party, who was also at the Budget Committee, the Prime Minister stressed that “food tech, including cellular food, is an important technology from the perspective of realising a sustainable food supply.” “We must encourage initiatives that contribute to solving the world’s food problems,” he added. Safety of cultivated meat Speaking about cultivated meat safety, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Katsunobu Kato pointed …

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Plant-based milk requirements

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Politics & Law

“Imposes New Burdens”: FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Plant-Based Milk Labels

Today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released draft guidance on plant-based milk labeling. According to the agency, the draft guidance, when finalized, is non-binding and will represent the current thinking of the FDA on the topic of naming and voluntary nutrient labeling of plant-based milks. In summary, the agency now says plant-based milk alternatives can be called “milk”, but recommends such products to identify certain nutritional differences from cow’s milk on their front-of-package labeling.  In the guidance document, the FDA notes it has not established compositional requirements for plant-based milk alternatives, and that such products comprise a wide diversity of ingredients and methods of production.  Consumers not confused The agency also acknowledges that, as evidenced by numerous consumer studies and its own focus …

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Eatplanted alt meat range

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Politics & Law

Swiss Vegan Brands May Be Forced to Remove Meat-Like Terminology From Labels

Eatplanted, the largest Swiss plant-based meat startup, as well as any Swiss vegan brand, could be forced to remove animal meat names on plant-based food packaging labels.   By the end of the year, the Federal Court will decide whether meat alternatives produced in Switzerland can continue to be labelled as plant-based ‘chicken’ or ‘pork.’  The decision would set a precedent not only in Switzerland but also in Europe. A previous ruling in favour SWI reports that in November 2022, the Zurich Administrative Court ruled that animal meat names on plant-based food packaging labelled as “vegan” were not misleading to consumers. The case was taken to the Zurich court by Planted Foods (Eatplanted) after the laboratory that oversees food and water safety in Zurich asked …

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die vegane fleischerei product image

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Gastronomy & Food Service

Can a Vegan Butcher Shop Be Named a Butcher Shop? 

On 7 January, Die vegane Fleischerei, a vegan butcher shop, opened in Dresden and became a nationwide phenomenon overnight. But not only because it was flooded with vegan customers. According to t-online, there was online outrage after the vegan butcher opened in Dresden’s Neustadt, with schnitzel, meatloaf rolls, salami, and aspic on display: the people of Saxony could not imagine that a shop without animal products could call itself a butcher shop. Can vegan salami be called salami in Germany?  Dresden’s food inspectors have a clear opinion. No.  Not long after the shop’s opening, authorities identified around 10 to 15 vegan products that had animal product names banning them from sale because they were violating either EU or German labelling guidelines, reported t-online. According to …

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Vegan Society USA market port cosmeticsre

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Cosmetics & Bodycare

Vegan Society’s First US Market Report: 90% Consider Vegan-Verified Cosmetics Important

More than half of US consumers want more vegan-verified labelling on beauty products, according to the Vegan Society‘s first US market report. As the Vegan Society continues to expand its global reach, the organisation is keen to understand perceptions of veganism and vegan products around the world. For this reason, the UK’s Vegan Society has produced a report entitled “The Vegan Beauty Takeover: US Edition” in collaboration with its American offshoot, the American Vegan Society. The results of a survey conducted as part of the report mirror earlier findings from a UK survey that looked at consumer demand for vegan cosmetics and analysed whether shoppers understand the differences between vegan and cruelty-free labelling. In the cosmetics industry, the term “cruelty-free” refers either to products that …

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Kerry McCarthy Labour MP for Bristol East

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Politics & Law

UK MP Kerry McCarthy Condemns Proposed Alt Dairy Labelling Restrictions

A British Member of Parliament has spoken out against proposed restrictions on the terms that can be used to market alt dairy products in the UK. Kerry McCarthy described the proposals, which would ban the use of phrases such as “alternative to milk” on product packaging, as “ludicrous”. Terms similar to those used for dairy products, such as “mylk” and “cheeze”, would also be forbidden if the guidance is approved by Defra (The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs). “I do not think that anyone buying a hot dog actually thinks that it has canine content. Does the Minister think that the British public is so stupid to think that a product called “oat milk” comes from a cow?” McCarthy asked Dr. Thérèse Coffey, …

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ProVeg NFH

Image courtesy Proveg International

Food & Beverage

Seven Actionable Insights for Plant-Based Businesses

ProVeg has recently written a report that rounds up seven of the New Food Hub’s most important lessons for businesses and brands. These insights uncover what consumers want when it comes to plant-based products and how best to target your audience, and ultimately, how to increase your sales and market share. One key takeaway that stands out stems from the question: should you use the word ‘vegan’ on your front-of-packaging?  It’s an interesting question, and, depending on how it’s answered, holds the potential to both isolate and attract different consumers.  Word choice is vital when designing packaging for plant-based products – types of restrictive language can be off-putting to some people, whilst certain terminology can encourage purchasers. So, what’s the answer? ProVeg recommends opting for …

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ProVeg Oat Milk/ Dairy-Free Milk

©ProVeg International
Politics & Law

ProVeg Urges FDA to Protect Consumer Choice as Agency Considers Plant-Based “Milk” Ban

Food awareness organization ProVeg International is urging the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to refrain from issuing new guidance that could discriminate against America’s rapidly growing plant-based milk sector. The FDA has sent an unpublished guidance document, entitled “Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements”, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). ProVeg has learned this document may include a ban on the use of “milk” terms for plant-based products out of fear that it misleads consumers.  The organization is now calling on the FDA to protect dairy-free milk products from such labeling restrictions, which it says would discourage and impede food innovation.  Congressional letter Four US Senators, including Cory Booker, Mike Lee and Julia Brownley, already issued a letter to …

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Studies & Numbers

Study Reveals Preferred Terminology for Cultivated Meat & Seafood in USA

A study by Chris Bryant of the University of Bath and Marlana Malerich of the University of Edinburgh has examined US consumers’ preferred terminology for cultivated meat and seafood products. Whereas the standard as put forward by Bruce Friedrich and the GFI accepts usage of “cultivated” as a term to be used within the industry and media, this research aimed to establish which terms perform best amongst consumers with regard to clarity, consumer appeal, and communication of safety and allergenicity. The clear winners were “cell-cultured” and “cell-cultivated”, with terms that sound less natural — such as “lab-grown” and “artificial” — performing poorly. However, there was some confusion about allergenicity even with the most popular terms. As a result, the researchers conclude that the packaging of …

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Certification on Product Label

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Retail & E-Commerce

SCS Global Launches New Plant-Based Certification to Support Transparency in Labeling

SCS Global Services, a leader in third-party certification, announces the launch of its Plant-Based Certification Program. The program, built around a new standard from the nonprofit development body SCS Standards, seeks to help consumers make better-informed choices by distinguishing plant-based brands through rigorous auditing, testing and labeling requirements.  Certification under the new SCS-109 Standard confirms that products do not contain any animal-derived inputs; products eligible to receive certification include food, beverages, CBD, and body care products.  According to the standard, products for human and animal consumption must contain a minimum of 95% plant-based ingredients, while other items, such as body care products, must contain a minimum of 50% plant-derived ingredients.  SCS states that the certification’s audit mechanisms, procedures, and quality systems are aligned with its …

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two woman reading a product label

© ProVeg International
Market & Trends

Study Finds Consumers Prefer Term ‘Plant-Based’ Over ‘Meat-Free’ or ‘Vegan’

Should you label your product meat-free, vegan or plant-based? Last year, ProVeg International produced a report on how ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’ labelling impacts mainstream appeal. As part of its work to discover how labels are perceived, the food awareness organisation recently published two new reports that reveal consumers’ understanding of the terms used to describe plant-based food products in the UK and the US. These new studies “aim to provide valuable insights into how the food industry can label their products to ensure clarity about ingredients, draw in target consumers and present their products most appealingly,” ProVeg explained. Here are the findings of both reports. Report 1: Plant-based labelling One thousand UK consumers were asked to describe and rate their views on the terms ‘animal-free,’ ‘meatless’, ‘meat-free’, ‘100% …

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cultured-meat-policies

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Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization Assesses Safety and Regulations of Cultivated Meat

The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is now assessing important food safety and regulatory concerns regarding cultivated meat. The organization released several documents discussing food safety aspects of cultivated meat products, including language and terminologies, common production processes, and regulatory frameworks. Labeling and terminology The FAO points out that since cultivated meats represent an emerging commodity, the terminology used to describe its processes and products remain inconsistent. A literature review found the most common terms used by consumers and the industry are  “cell-based,” “cultivated,” and “cultured,” with some studies suggesting “cultivated” as the most appealing term.  Through its report, FAO aims to provide a basis for global policymakers to select consistent language for legislation and communication about cultivated meat. The organization also encourages …

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