he association, which opened the case with a request for a stay of enforcement because the bans are already causing rights violations and losses to consumers and producers across the country, also requested to be joined in a vegan cheese producer's lawsuit against the regulation.
Interfering with consumers' lifestyles, their right to healthy living and their nutrition
In its petition, TVD stressed that vegan cheeses appeal not only to vegans who follow a plant-based diet and are ethically opposed to animal exploitation or supportive of environmental concerns, but also to people with lactose and gluten intolerance. They recalled that consumers who must follow a lactose-free and gluten-free diet are prevented by these bans from accessing vegan products that they must prefer for health reasons.
On the other hand, a petition campaign was launched against the said regulation. Hundreds of vegans demanded the lifting of the ban in the petition launched on Change.org.
The signature campaign can be accessed here.
The ban is unique in the world
In a statement, TVD said the introduction of a ban in Turkey, which has no precedent in Europe or the world, could mean that any product "thought to resemble cheese but which does not even have the word cheese in its name" could be explicitly banned unless the regulatory clause is lifted.