France confirms ban on the use of meat names for plant-based products

Therefore, the government worked to develop a new draft regulation, taking into account the comments of the State Council, which replaced the previous regulation.

This new draft decree regulates the use of names traditionally denoting food products of animal origin to describe, market or promote food products based on plant proteins produced and sold in France. Food products covered by the draft resolution include products containing vegetable proteins.

it establishes a list of terms the use of which is prohibited to designate food products containing vegetable protein and a list of terms permitted to designate food products of animal origin that may contain vegetable protein, as well as the maximum proportion of vegetable protein that may be contained in food products for which these terms are used.

In addition, the draft text provides for penalties in case of violation of its provisions, a three-month period of entry into force after its publication to give operators time to adapt their labeling, and the possibility of marketing manufactured or labeled food products before its entry into force before stocks run out and in within a maximum of one year after its publication.

This draft decree was brought to the attention of the European Commission on 23 August 2023 in accordance with Directive ( EU ) No. 2015/1535 laying down the procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and rules on business information services, as well as in accordance with the Regulation (EU) ) No. 1169/2011 on consumer information about food products.