FRANCE has become the latest country to ban plant-based meat companies from using the same terms as real meat to market their products.

The French Government recently released a ‘decree’ with a list of words not allowed to be used on plant-based products – like steak, tendon, sirloin, sausage and even charcutier/butcher.

Last year, Italy made similar moves to crack down on plant-based meat labels and even banned the future production of lab grown meat, with the aim of preserving the local farming industries and way of life.

Following Italy’s decision, the Hungarian Agriculture Minister István Nagy told local media outlet Hungary Today that his Government was thinking of following going in the same direction.

“The majority of society needs to understand that without farmers there is no food and no future,” he said.

Plant-based meat companies have gained significant prominence in Europe in recent decades. Some scientists have raised concerns about them influencing politicians, with a reduction in meat coming into some legislation which could have a detrimental impact on the health of the population.

But to push to reduce meat in diets and place heavy restrictions on agriculture has been met with fierce opposition in recent months, with farmers taking to some of the main cities, including Paris, with their tractors.

Former politician and political analyst George Lyon told Beef Central last month that green regulations are being met with fierce opposition.

“Politicians have not been honest with the public about how much this is going to cost, they have sold people the climate scare story about livestock killing the planet,” Mr Lyon said.

“Now people are going ‘this means I can’t even buy beef and eat what I want to eat or use my gas boiler for heating’ and I think politicians have misjudged where the community is on this – Ukraine was the trigger for that.”

Full list of terms restricted by the French government

• Net, False fillet, Rumsteak, Entrecôte, Baroness Aiguillette, Sirloin, Tab, Shaft, Steak, Low coast, Paleron, Flanchet, Steak, Escalope, Tendon, Grill, Lanyard, Cross, Ham, Butcher and Charcutier/Butcher.