Swiss Court Bans Animal-Specific Terms on Vegan Labels, Raising Questions for Personal Care Labelling
Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has ruled that vegan products cannot use species-specific animal terms such as “chicken” or “pork” on labels, even with clarifiers like “vegan” or “plant-based.” The post Swiss Court Bans Animal-Specific Terms on Vegan Labels, Raising Questions for Personal Care Labelling appeared first on Global Cosmetics News.
THE WHAT? Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court has ruled that vegan products cannot use species-specific animal terms such as “chicken” or “pork” on labels, even with clarifiers like “vegan” or “plant-based.”
THE DETAILS The decision concludes a legal dispute between Zurich-based Planted Foods and federal food safety authorities. The court found that using animal-specific terms on plant-based products violates national labelling law by potentially misleading consumers. The ruling reverses a 2022 decision by Zurich’s Administrative Court, which had allowed names like “planted.chicken” under clear vegan labelling. While generic terms such as “steak” or “fillet” remain permissible, the use of species names is now banned for plant-based items in Switzerland.
THE WHY? While the ruling applies to food products, it could impact personal care and cosmetics labelling practices where animal-linked terminology is sometimes used—for example, to describe fragrances or botanical alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. This decision may lead to stricter interpretations of labelling rules in Switzerland and influence broader EU regulatory discussions around plant-based product communication.
The post Swiss Court Bans Animal-Specific Terms on Vegan Labels, Raising Questions for Personal Care Labelling appeared first on Global Cosmetics News.
