A cheese by any other name: Let plant-based alternatives use traditional dairy terms
In Europe, dairy terms are protected under EU regulation 1308/2013 which means the words milk, cheese and yoghurt can only be used for product made from animal milk. Equivalent legislation exists around the world and, in a sense, this is understandable because the definition was determined at a time when almost all milk came from animal sources, mostly cows.
But today the market for plant-based dairy alternatives made from ingredients such as soy, almond and oats is tipped to €20bn in the next six years globally according to Allied Market Research - an annual growth rate of 13%, figures the dairy industry would kill for.
The wealth of products made from plant-based ingredients on the market shows that the monopoly on these words is clearly not preventing innovation from happening. But it could be stopping these products from making the jump from beyond the free-from food aisles in specialist shops to the shopping baskets of 'mainstream' consumers.
Wilmersburger is a German manufacturer of vegan cheese but its official name with regard to EU law is ‘sandwich topping with vegetable oil.’
And at a time when more and more grocery shopping is being done online, being able to market your product as vegan cheese makes a big difference in search engine rankings (SEO).
Even clued-up vegans don't do a Google search for 'veggie sandwich topping with vegetable oil' so the direct effect on sales is tangible.
You can read the full article HERE
Food Labelling Services comments:
Whatever the product is called, it should not mislead the consumer as to the true nature of the food. It is imperative that the legal name clearly defines the product, and that the product name and marketing text does not allow any misinterpretation as to the product. In our opinion, with the ever changing dietary requirements of consumers, regulations should be reviewed, and amended if they no longer are consumer led. In this case, it could be argued that by not allowing the word 'cheese' to be used for plant based fermented products is discriminating against vegan and vegetarian consumers, and limiting the growth of the sector.