In an ongoing debate over the labelling of plant-based dairy products in the UK, ProVeg UK has voiced concerns regarding the upcoming guidance which is set to be released at Easter.

The UK government guidance, crafted by the Food Standards & Information Focus Group (FSIFG), aims to provide clarity on the use of dairy-related terms for plant-based alternatives, effectively banning phrases such as ‘not milk’ and ‘plant-based alternative’.

Jasmijn de Boo, global CEO of ProVeg, said: “There really is no problem to fix here. We understand that supermarkets are not receiving complaints from consumers about being confused by dairy names for plant-based products so no service is done to the consumer by restricting these terms.”

She added: “Arguably, more confusion may be caused if brands are required to use terms that consumers are unfamiliar with. But there is a considerable disservice to a large and growing industry that will incur costs having to relabel their products.”

With the UK already ranking as the second-largest consumer of plant-based alternative proteins in Europe, the proposed guidance risks hindering the sector’s growth and innovation potential post-Brexit.

De Boo stressed the importance of nurturing the plant-based food market rather than stifling it with unnecessary regulations.

While the FSIFG argues that the guidance aims to prevent consumer confusion between dairy and plant-based products, ProVeg cites multiple studies showing that current labelling practices do not lead to significant confusion among consumers.

The impending guidance has sparked a contentious debate within the plant-based food manufacturing sector, raising concerns about its potential ramifications on businesses and consumer choice.

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