French producers have been prohibited from using the term “vegan” in labeling their meat products as a result of an investigation. Those who violate this regulation could be subjected to fines ranging from 1500 to 7500 euros for using terms like “steak” to describe non-meat items. Furthermore, the use of terms such as “escalope,” “sausage,” “filet,” and “cutlets” to describe non-animal products is now disallowed. Animal rights activists have praised this decision, stating that the inclusion of terms like “vegan sausage” or “vegan veal” on packaging can mislead and confuse consumers. This announcement, made on February 27, permits certain products with small amounts of dairy to be exempt from the ban, maintaining the integrity of their labels. Examples of such exempt products include merguez or cordon bleu. Moreover, producers will have one year from now to comply with these new regulations, allowing them time to sell their existing stock.