The UK plant-based sector is concerned about a potential crackdown on the labeling of alternative dairy products. The draft guidance formulated by the Food Standards and Information Focus Group (FSIFG) on behalf of Defra suggests banning terms like ‘yoghurt-style’ or ‘cheddar-type’, as well as homophones or misspellings like ‘mylk’. The reasoning behind this guidance is the belief that consumers may be confused by names such as ‘plant-based butter’ or ‘not milk’. The plant-based industry fears that the UK is moving towards stricter enforcement of labeling rules, with potential names like Flora Plant B*tter and Wunda Plant Based Not Milk being forbidden from shelves.
While dairy trade association Dairy UK supports the FSISG’s opinion, stating that the guidance merely clarifies existing laws, plant-based groups are worried that the UK will become one of the most restrictive nations in terms of product naming regulations. In contrast, the European Parliament dropped a similar proposal to ban terms like ‘buttery’ and ‘creamy’ for purely plant-based products, and the US recently allowed plant-based drinks to use the word ‘milk’ after determining that consumers are not confused by terms like ‘oat milk’.
Plant-based groups expect further draft guidance from FSISG in September, with publication soon to follow. Marisa Heath, CEO of the Plant Based Food Alliance UK, called for a commitment from the government to review the legislation, as the current interpretation of existing law could lead to enforcement at any time. The responsibility for enforcing dairy labeling and marketing standards lies with local authorities and Trading Standards Officers, although they were unable to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, campaigns have been launched to oppose guidelines preventing plant-based brands from using dairy-related terms. Palm PR has started a petition, supported by brands like Cocos Organic and Nush Foods, to allow the continued use of such terms. The Vegan Society CEO argued that terms like ‘not milk’ and ‘sheese’ are not confusing and banning them would limit consumer choice and stifle innovation in the plant-based industry. The Alternative Proteins Association (APA) also advocates for common-sense food labeling, pointing out that detailed ingredient and nutrition information already protects British consumers.
In summary, the UK plant-based sector is concerned about the potential crackdown on alternative dairy product labeling. While the draft guidance aims to reduce confusion among consumers, plant-based groups fear it will make the UK one of the most restrictive nations in terms of product naming regulations. Campaigns have been launched to oppose guidelines preventing the use of dairy-related terms, advocating for common sense labeling that reflects modern language use and food choices.
