- last august year, the Food Safety Agency seized vegan products that looked like meat products from retail stores.
- The high court temporarily halted the seizure of herbal products last year, and the parties will argue again in court in May before a final judgment is handed down.
- The vegan company Fry Family Food Corporation has also instituted its own appeals process against the Red Meat Industry Forum.
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The red meat industry and vegan food companies are preparing to continue their battle this year over plant-based food naming, with a crucial court ruling on the saga looming.
Both industries are awaiting legal clarification on whether plant-based foods that resemble meat products break existing legislation and should be rebranded or relabelled.
In August last year, the Food Safety Agency seized vegan products that looked like meat products from retail stores.
The Department of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Rural Development declared that plant-based labels that included meat-linked phrases such as “meat substitute, simulated meat, fake meat, and imitation” were prohibited according to Government Gazette regulations. published in 2019.
As Business Insider reported, an injunction granted by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg temporarily halted the seizure of plant-based products in August last year. The parties will argue again before the high court in May before a final judgment is handed down.
The vegan company Fry Family Food Corporation has also instituted its own appeals process against the Red Meat Industry Forum. Preparation for the appeals process will be completed in February, according to spokeswoman Genevive Cutts.
“We look forward to working with all parties to further align our industry with international standards, mitigate technical barriers to trade in South African products and provide more options to meet all dietary requirements,” Cutts said.
‘Be honest’
Fry Family Foods believes that it has a strong legal position and that its product names do not contravene regulations. Rather, they help consumers understand how to incorporate plant-based products into their meals, Cutts says.
However, Peter Gordon, group chief executive of the South African Meat Processors Association (SAMPA), has said vegan companies must continue to be “honest” with their labels.
“Product labeling should be honest and not misleading. If a vegan company says their product looks like chicken, that’s false and misleading labeling,” he said in an interview with News24.
Gordon says there’s also a need for legal considerations when labeling plant-based foods according to meat products. For example, the name “boerewors” is protected by law and follows its own specific regulations, he says.
According to Gordon, commercial freedom has always been granted for product relabeling and it is normal to request dispensations for old packaging. He added that the red meat industry would like to see the matter resolved in the first round of arguments in the high court.
Despite the gray area, companies like Woolworths have adhered to the department’s position and have already changed the labeling of vegan foods.
“We are updating our product labels to meet anticipated regulatory requirements regarding vegan products using meaty names,” the company told News24.
