A new report by the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food)'s report ''The Politics of Protein: Examining claims about livestock, fish, ‘alternative proteins’ and sustainability'', reveals that fake meat is a ‘silver bullet’ technology that may not be as sustainable as its advocates claim. There is a rush to so-called ‘alternative proteins’ - which include ‘lab’ or ‘cultured’ meat and fish products, plant-based (or ‘fake’) substitutes, as well as dairy and egg alternatives. A ‘protein obsession’ in marketing and media helps to bolster these technologies. Alternative proteins are promising reduced damage to the climate. However, the evidence for these claims is limited and speculative. Indeed they may cause more harm than good, and risk entrenching domination of food systems by giant agri-business firms, increasing dependency on fossil fuel energy, promoting standardised (Westernised) diets of processed foods, driving loss of livelihoods for livestock farmers in the global South, and reinforcing industrial supply chains that harm people and the planet. These often highly processed products are being marketed to consumers worldwide regardless of their relevance or context.