Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)Regulations2025 RegulationsRegulations relating to Meat Analogues intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa - effective 18 July 2026Part IV: Marking Requirements12. Restricted particulars on containers and outer containers |
(1)
| (a) | No product name other than a name permitted for a meat analogue contained in a container, shall be marked on such a container or outer container: Provided that product names of meat analogues from the same manufacturer indicated for the sole purpose of promotion and/or comparative claims shall be allowed on the side panel or back panel of a container and shall be accompanied by wording such as but not limited to for example “also try these products in our range”, etc. |
| (b) | No word or expression which so nearly resembles the product name for meat analogues that it could be misleading with regard to the composition of the product presented for sale, shall be marked on the container or outer container of such product. |
| (c) | Meat analogues shall not reference the name or description that is prescribed for meat and meat products unless permitted in terms of these regulations. |
| (d) | Meat analogues shall not include any reference to the name or description of a geographical indication (GI) or designation of origin of a meat analogue, animal and meat product which— |
| (i) | enjoys protection under the EU SADC EPA; or |
| (ii) | any other GI or designation of origin other than those enjoying protection under the EU SADC EPA which originate from a World Trade Organisation (WTO); or |
| (iii) | any locally manufactured product enjoying protection as registered GI or designation of origin in the Republic of South Africa. |
| (2) | No word, mark, illustration, depiction or other method of expression that constitutes a misrepresentation or directly or by implication creates or may create a misleading impression regarding the quality, nature, category, origin or composition of meat analogues shall be marked on a container or outer container of such product. |
| (3) | No registered trade mark or brand name which may possibly, directly or by implication, be misleading or create a false impression of the contents of a container or outer container containing meat analogues shall appear on such a container or outer container. |
| (4) | Subject to the provisions of sub-regulation (2) above, nutrient content claims and the “strict vegetarian” or “vegan” claims may be indicated on the main panel of the container of meat analogues: Provided that the use of the claims shall comply with the requirements as prescribed in the regulations published under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972). |
| (5) | No claim regarding the absence of any substance that does not normally occur in meat analogues shall be marked on a container or outer container of such product, except in the cases where the negative claim is allowed for in the regulations published under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972): Provided that the claim “meat free” may be indicated on its own on the container and outer container of meat analogues, and further provided that the claim is not indicated— |
| (a) | as part of the product name or in close proximity to the product name; and |
| (b) | in letter size bigger than the letter size of the product name. |
| (6) | No comparison with or reference to the respective merit or demerits of meat, poultry meat, processed meat and raw processed meat products against meat analogues shall be marked on a container of meat analogues. |
| (7) | No claim which compares the total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, sodium or salt, or energy value of two or more similar meat analogues by using words such as "reduced", "less than", "fewer", "light" and "lite", or words having a similar meaning, shall be made on the container or outer container thereof, unless the following conditions are complied with: |
| (a) | The meat analogues shall be compared with a different version of the same or similar product. |
| (b) | The meat analogues being compared shall be clearly marked on the container with the following information: |
| (i) | A statement of the amount of difference in the energy value or relevant nutrient content, expressed as a percentage. |
| (ii) | The identity of the meat analogues to which it is being compared in close proximity to or as part of the comparative claim. |
| (c) | The comparison shall be based on a relative difference of at least 25% in the energy value or nutrient content of an equivalent mass or volume. |
| (d) | The meat analogues shall be marked with the prescribed nutritional information declaration required in terms of the regulations published under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972). |
| (8) | Any depictions, illustrations, words or wording which emphasise the presence of an added foodstuff, herb and/or spice in meat analogues shall only be allowed on a container or outer container if the requirements of Quantitative Ingredient Declarations (QUID), as specified in the regulations published under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act,1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972), have been complied with. |
| (9) | The provisions of this regulation shall also apply to particulars that are marked on— |
| (a) | an outer container in which one or more separate containers of meat analogues is packed; |
| (b) | a notice board displayed at or in the immediate vicinity of meat analogues that is kept or displayed for sale; and |
| (c) | all advertisements for meat analogues. |