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The EU Parliament has rejected a measure by the agricultural lobby to ban vegetarian products with names like “sausage” or “hamburger”. Consumer advocates called the entire discussion “pointless.”
The EU Parliament has spoken out against the ban on the marketing of meat substitutes using terms such as “veggie burger” or “vegan sausage”. The deputies rejected a request from the agricultural lobby. However, the marketing of substitutes for dairy products will be further restricted.
According to the rejected application, “the terms and names related to meat (…) should be reserved only for parts of animals suitable for human consumption.” The terms steak, sausage, schnitzel, hamburger, or hamburger are mentioned as examples. Under the proposed law, meatless substitute products should no longer have used these terms in their product names.
Pressure from agricultural associations
The legislative changes proposed by Parliament’s Agriculture Committee were mainly the result of pressure from agricultural associations. The secretary general of the European Copa-Cogeca agricultural lobby, Pekka Pesonen, complained that suppliers of substitute products were “hijacking meat names.”
In Praise of the Consumer Protection Organization
The European consumer protection organization BEUC hailed the decision as “good news”. Consumers are not in any way confused by the soy fillets or chickpea sausages on the shelf if such products are clearly labeled vegetarian or vegan. Rather, names like hamburger or steak made it easier for consumers to incorporate such products into their meals.
Only the marketing of dairy substitutes will be further restricted. According to a judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Communities of 2017, purely herbal products can no longer be sold as soy milk or vegetable cheese. This prohibition will now be extended to terms such as “flavor, substitute, type or similar”. The exceptions to this have long been common terms like peanut butter or coconut milk.
“Unnecessary” and “useless” discussion
The consumer protection organization criticized the restriction on dairy products as “unnecessary.” That has nothing to do with consumer protection.
The consumer organization BEUC emphasized that more people in the EU should eat more plant-based foods “for their health and that of the planet.” It’s best to cook yourself, but not everyone has the time or ability to do it. Therefore, “attractive, cheap and convenient alternatives to animal protein” are needed.
Greenpeace said the whole debate on veggie burgers was pointless. It is “pathetic” that Parliament has not defended itself from the agricultural lobby.
Replacement products from the growing market
The market for plant protein-based meat and milk substitutes has been booming for years. Sales of meat substitutes in Europe are estimated to have nearly doubled in the last five years.
The legislation passed on dairy products is part of the reform package of the common agricultural policy. The legislative package as a whole should be voted on later that day. Once adopted, Parliament’s negotiations with the Member States can begin.
