The decision contradicts a decree adopted by France. A European Union (EU) member state cannot prohibit manufacturers of plant-based meat substitutes from using terms such as “steak,” the European Court of Justice (CJEU) ruled on Friday, October 4.
In its ruling, the Court considers that, by not adopting a specific legal name for a food, a State cannot prohibit the use of terms intended to designate the product. For the CJEU, “a Member State cannot prevent, by means of a general and abstract prohibition, producers of food products based on vegetable proteins” wear “common names or [des] descriptive names ».
The CJEU was referred twice by the Council of State, following the publication of two decrees, in 2022 and then in 2024, which prohibited manufacturers of plant-based meat substitutes from using the words “steak”, “schnitzel” or “ham”.. But the Council of State successively suspended them in a summary procedure, doubting “the legality of this prohibition” and awaiting the decision of the CJEU on its compliance with the European regulation.
The text responded to a long-standing demand from stakeholders in the animal and agri-food sector, who believe that terms such as “ “Plant-based ham,” “vegan sausage,” or “vegetarian bacon” can create confusion among consumers. Actors from the vegetarian and vegan products sector participated, such as the Protein France association.
The latest decree, one of the commitments made by the government to appease farmers’ anger this winter, was published in February, during the Agricultural Fair.
