On November 16, 2023, following approval by the Italian Senate, the Italian Chamber of Deputies voted to pass a law that would ban the sale of cultivated meat in the country. Businesses that violate the legislation could face fines ranging 10,000–60,000 euros.

The law also seeks to prohibit companies from using meat descriptors for plant-based proteins.

Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida stated “With the law approved today, Italy is the first nation in the world that is safe from the social and economic risks of synthetic food,” calling the legislation the “Defense of health, of the Italian production system, of thousands of jobs, of our culture and tradition.”

In August 2023, Italy introduced similar legislation on the EU level, but withdrew the law from consideration in October “out of respect for the work” of Italy’s government.