The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that a non-alcoholic drink cannot be sold under the name “gin”. The case concerned the product Virgin Gin Alkolholfrei. About this reportsPolitician.
The German Association for the Fight against Unfair Competition has filed a lawsuit against PB Vi Goods, a company that makes imitation gin. A German court referred the case to the Court of Justice of the EU, which found that there was a “clear prohibition in EU law” because the drink did not contain alcohol. The product could be sold, but not as gin – regardless of the use of the term “non-alcoholic”.
The court ruled that the name was contrary to European law, which requires gin to be made from ethyl alcohol and juniper berries and contain at least 37.5% alcohol. The law is designed to protect gin producers from unfair competition and consumers from being misled.
A German association filed a lawsuit against PB Vi Goods, the manufacturer of the soft drink, and the EU Court of Justice upheld a “clear prohibition”, stating that the product cannot be labeled as gin even if it uses the terms “non-alcoholic” or “squeezed”.
The decision on gin comes as plant-based meat producers brace for possible labeling disputes, depending on the outcome of negotiations over the so-called “veggie burger ban.”
Recall that in 2017, the EU’s highest court already influenced the market by ruling that plant-based products cannot be called “milk,” “cream,” “butter,” “cheese,” or “yogurt.”
