Vegan cheese is no longer allowed to be called cheese

The VEBU on the ECJ ruling on the designation of vegetable cheese
The VEBU (Vegetarian Federation Germany) comments on today's judgment of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the admissibility of protected terms such as "milk", "yoghurt" and "cheese" for the naming of herbal products.

"Today's strict judgment has little to do with consumer protection. The ECJ has merely confirmed that the relevant regulation is motivated by economic policy and has strictly interpreted the existing law, which clearly contradicts the normal understanding of consumers. There will also be discussions about this in the future, "says Felix Domke, VEBU Policy Officer.

Vegan cheese made from tofu (Image: Manuel Adorf / fotolia.com)

"The ECJ has today declared the terms in question for the naming of herbal products such as 'soymilk' or 'vegan cheese' inadmissible and thus confirmed the prevailing problematic interpretation. That was regrettable, but due to the strict wording of the regulation, it was expectable. At the same time, this is not a decision as to whether milk terms are misleading, "comments Domke. However, the initiated debate shows that a ban is no longer up to date.

More and more consumers are choosing vegetable foods for a variety of reasons. Alternatives to milk and dairy products have arrived in the midst of society and occupy a firm place in gastronomy and retail. At the same time, consumers naturally speak of "soymilk" and "vegan cheese" in their everyday lives..

The permissibility of the terms described in EU Regulation 1308/2013 would also be desirable for this product group. Well-known terms such as "milk" convey a great deal of information to the consumer with regard to the product properties, which to a varying extent also apply to the alternative products and make them comprehensible at a glance. At the same time there is no risk of misleading, since the clear identification that it is a vegan or vegetarian product, in the interest of all parties involved. Unlike the "analog cheese" scandal observed a few years ago, the vegetarian trait is a clear selling point.