Victory for Plant-Based Meat Alternatives in South Africa as Johannesburg High Court Overturns Seizure

The Johannesburg High Court has overturned the planned seizure of plant-based meat alternatives marketed using “meat-like” terms. This decision ensures that these products will continue to be available in the country without hindrance.

The controversy began when South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) banned the use of meat-like terms on plant-based product labels in June 2022, citing concerns about consumer deception. The department instructed the Food Safety Agency to seize any non-compliant products, sparking outrage among plant-based advocates.

Responding to the ban, plant-based advocates took the case to the Johannesburg High Court, arguing that plant-based meat alternatives should not fall under legislation intended for processed meats. The court agreed, temporarily halting the planned seizure of the products in August 2022.

After nearly a year of legal battles, the seizure was halted again indefinitely, following a victory in court for the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA). Now, the decision to seize the meat alternatives has been completely overturned by the court, with the conclusion that such action is not legally enforceable.

This ruling echoes similar developments worldwide, including in France and Italy, where restrictions on the labeling of plant-based meat have faced legal challenges. In Belgium, a similar dispute ended with plant-based meat alternatives retaining the right to use terms like “burger” and “steak.”

The CGCSA hails the court ruling in South Africa as a collective victory for the meat alternatives sector, emphasizing its role as “a source of employment throughout the value chain.” Additionally, food awareness organization ProVeg has welcomed the decision, highlighting the importance of continued dialogue between stakeholders and government bodies.

Related Content:

• The Power of Food Labels in Combating the Global Climate Crisis
• France Announces Ban on Plant-Based Foods Using Words like “Steak” and “Burger” in the Latest Global Label War
• Lawmakers Urge FDA to Reject Draft Requiring Plant-Based Milk to Not Use “Milk” in Label
• Louisiana’s Ban Against Plant-Based Food Labels Using Meat-Related Words Ruled Unconstitutional

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!