For years, the EU has been debating which designations may be used to label vegan and vegetarian meat substitute products. The central issue is whether terms such as “burger” or “schnitzel” may also be used for vegetarian and vegan alternatives. A compromise has now been reached in the ongoing EU legislative process. Key points at...

With the Third Act amending the Unfair Competition Act (UWG), Germany is implementing the requirements of the Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EU) 2024/825 (“EmpCo Directive”) into national law. The new rules on environmental claims (“green claims”) and sustainability labels will apply from September 27, 2026 without any transitional period. The legislator...

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled on November 13, 2025 (Case C-563/24) that the legally defined designation “gin” is not permissible for a product without alcohol, even if the manufacturer clearly uses the label “alcohol-free.” The potential for misleading consumers is irrelevant in this context. The starting point of the proceedings was a preliminary...

Wine lovers will soon notice: Wine and sparkling wine have a QR code on their label. Wine, spirits and agricultural products are part of the European Union’s cultural heritage and belong to its assets. The Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organization of the markets in agricultural products (CMO Regulation) was fundamentally amended in...