Why Plant-Based Yogurt Is Labelled “Alternative” in the UK
If you’ve spotted “Alpro Simply Plain Soya Yogurt Alternative” in our calorie database, you might have wondered why it doesn’t just say “Yogurt.” It’s not marketing language. It’s UK law.
“Yogurt” is a legally protected term
Under UK law (retained EU Regulation 1308/2013), the terms milk, yogurt, cheese, cream and butter are legally reserved exclusively for products made from animal milk. A soya, oat or coconut-based product cannot legally use one of these words as its name, no matter how similar it tastes or how it’s used.
Even a qualifier isn’t enough
You might assume adding “vegan” or “plant-based” in front would solve it, as in “vegan yogurt.” It doesn’t. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled directly on this in 2017 (the TofuTown case): a plant-based product can’t use a reserved dairy name, even with a qualifier attached, because the name itself is protected, not just its unqualified use. A UK Supreme Court ruling in February 2026 reaffirmed the same principle for the UK specifically.
What’s actually allowed
What courts have confirmed is fine is genuinely comparative language, phrasing that describes a product as standing in for yogurt rather than claiming to be it: “yogurt alternative,” “alternative to yoghurt,” “cheese-style.” That’s the exact wording you’ll see on real UK products, including Alpro’s official product names.
It’s the same reason “soya milk” is sold in UK shops as “soya drink.” Same underlying rule, same reason, just a different reserved word.
Why we keep the full name in our database
When we add a plant-based product to our calorie database, we use its real, official product name exactly as the manufacturer lists it, qualifier included. Dropping “Alternative” wouldn’t just be inaccurate; it would also hide a real, useful signal: a soya-based product has a genuinely different nutrition profile from dairy yogurt, which matters if you’re tracking it.
Want the full nutrition breakdown? See Alpro Simply Plain Soya Yogurt Alternative in our calculator.
*This article is general information, not legal advice. UK food labelling law is an active, evolving area, most recently with a February 2026 Supreme Court ruling, so check official sources directly if you need this for your own compliance purposes.