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Alpro has to adapt communication about yoghurt

The Belgian courts are very busy but find time to engage in ridiculous cases, like the correct use of language by food companies. The words "alternative" or "variant" have indeed different linguistic meanings but for consumers they mean just the same. The Brussels Court of Appeal, however, ruled that Alpro's soy products are not "variants" on dairy products, but they may be called "alternatives" to dairy. Alpro will adapt in the short term their texts on their packaging and webbsite in Belgium. We find the offending words only on Alpro's cups with soy yogurt and not the soy yogurt packaged in cartons.

The Belgian Confederation of the Dairy Industry (BCZ) went with some of its members to the Court of Appeal because Alpro uses the term "yoghurt" to describe its plant based products. "Consumers are entitled to accurate, not misleading information", said Renaat Debergh of BCZ. The consumer who buys Alpro soya yogurt knows perfectly that they buy a non-dairy vegetarian soy products.

Alpro now confirms that according to the new judgment "variation on milk" and "vegetable variation yogurt" cannot be used, but the court has no problem with the terms "vegetable alternative to dairy" and "vegetable alternative to yogurt ".

We find other claims on their labels, such as "with yogurt cultures" that may become subject of a subsequent lawsuit. Aldi is already on the right track: their SoyPro cream is already named "vegetable alternative" for cream made from soy.

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