Luxembourg's top court has issued a ruling that could shake up the European drinks industry: non-alcoholic beverages cannot be labeled as "gin". The Luxembourg-based judges have ruled that only spirit drinks with at least 37.5% alcohol by volume, flavored with juniper berries, can bear the term "gin".
The decision comes after a German association brought a case against PB Vi Goods, a company selling a non-alcoholic drink called Virgin Gin Alkoholfrei. The German court initially ruled in favor of the company, stating that the name was self-explanatory and would not deceive consumers. However, the Luxembourg judges have overturned this decision, citing EU law as clear on the matter.
The ruling is a significant blow to the EU's fast-growing non-alcoholic drinks market, which has seen considerable growth in recent years. The court's reasoning suggests that the term "non-alcoholic gin" would be perceived as inconsistent with traditional understandings of the spirit drink.
This decision follows in the footsteps of previous EU court rulings on food labeling and trademark disputes. In 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against the makers of KitKats, who had sought to trademark their distinctive four-fingered wafer shape. Last year, the ECJ clarified that only animal-derived products can use terms such as "milk", "butter", and "yogurt".
The EU's efforts to tighten food labeling rules have been ongoing for some time, with recent votes aimed at banning certain terms used on plant-based foods. While veggie burgers and tofu steaks may still be an option in some member states, the ruling against non-alcoholic gin serves as a reminder of the EU's strict regulations when it comes to labeling spirits.
As the European drinks industry adjusts to this new ruling, producers of non-alcoholic beverages are likely to face significant challenges. The loss of the "gin" label could be a major setback for companies seeking to tap into the growing demand for low- and no-alcohol alternatives.
The decision comes after a German association brought a case against PB Vi Goods, a company selling a non-alcoholic drink called Virgin Gin Alkoholfrei. The German court initially ruled in favor of the company, stating that the name was self-explanatory and would not deceive consumers. However, the Luxembourg judges have overturned this decision, citing EU law as clear on the matter.
The ruling is a significant blow to the EU's fast-growing non-alcoholic drinks market, which has seen considerable growth in recent years. The court's reasoning suggests that the term "non-alcoholic gin" would be perceived as inconsistent with traditional understandings of the spirit drink.
This decision follows in the footsteps of previous EU court rulings on food labeling and trademark disputes. In 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled against the makers of KitKats, who had sought to trademark their distinctive four-fingered wafer shape. Last year, the ECJ clarified that only animal-derived products can use terms such as "milk", "butter", and "yogurt".
The EU's efforts to tighten food labeling rules have been ongoing for some time, with recent votes aimed at banning certain terms used on plant-based foods. While veggie burgers and tofu steaks may still be an option in some member states, the ruling against non-alcoholic gin serves as a reminder of the EU's strict regulations when it comes to labeling spirits.
As the European drinks industry adjusts to this new ruling, producers of non-alcoholic beverages are likely to face significant challenges. The loss of the "gin" label could be a major setback for companies seeking to tap into the growing demand for low- and no-alcohol alternatives.
Like, what even is the point? They're just gonna start regulating every single drink now. And now non-alcoholic gin can't be labeled as such... like who cares? I mean, it's not like people are gonna go out and buy a non-alcoholic gin expecting it to be the real deal or anything. It's like, hello, it's non-alcoholic! You know what would be crazy though - if they started regulating the names of plant-based burgers too... can you imagine? "Veggie burger: 100% meat-free" nope, that's not a thing now 
. And honestly, I'm just gonna have to start calling my favorite non-alcoholic drink something else because it'll be labeled as "spirit" or whatever... so annoying 
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... i mean, it's just a drink, right? can't people just know what they're getting? it's not like it's gonna hurt anyone to call it "virgin gin" or something... it's all about the marketing and branding now... the EU's just trying to protect its liquor industries from being flooded with low-alcohol alternatives 
I mean, who would have thought that non-alcoholic gin wouldn't be allowed to be labeled as such in Europe? The logic behind it makes sense, though - if a drink is "virgin" and doesn't contain any booze, why call it "gin"? It's almost like they're trying to keep the authenticity of traditional gin intact. But at the same time, this ruling is also a bit concerning for the non-alcoholic drinks market, which has been growing so rapidly. I think it'll be interesting to see how companies adapt and find new ways to market their products. Maybe "non-alcoholic juniper berry drink" will become the new buzzword? 
The market for non-alcoholic drinks is huge, so I'm curious to see how this plays out.
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i cant even believe whats going on in europe right now! so basically theyre saying that nonalcoholic gin cant have the name gin? like whats next? making it hard for people with gluten or dairy allergies to find their favorite food? this is just ridiculous 
. who cares if its 37.5% alcohol by volume, its still not real gin in my book! i mean what about all the nonalcoholic brands out there that are trying to make a name for themselves? now theyre stuck with names like virgin or mocktail lol just great 