The Debate Over Plant-Based Food Labeling in the European Union
The European Union has long been engaged in a heated debate over how to label and promote plant-based foods. As these products gain popularity, there is still uncertainty about whether they should be allowed to use traditional meat-related terms in their names. This issue has sparked discussions among policymakers, consumers, and industry representatives.
Can we call a soya-based patty a veggie burger? Should the term “sausage” be used if it doesn’t contain meat? These are some of the questions that have led to a recent decision by the European Parliament. On Wednesday, the Parliament ruled that names such as hamburger, sausage, escalope, or steak can only be used for meat products and not for plant-based alternatives.
French MEP Céline Imart (EPP), who was responsible for the file in the Parliament, emphasized during the plenary discussion on Tuesday that terms like steak, cutlet, or sausage are associated with livestock farms and not with laboratory substitutes or plant-based products. She argued that this decision is also about transparency and clarity for consumers, as well as recognizing the work of livestock farmers.
This debate has been ongoing within the EU for some time. Current legislation allows plant-based products to use meat-related terms, provided the packaging clearly indicates that the product is made only from plants. However, in July, the European Commission proposed an update to the Common Market Organisation (CMO) that stated “meat” means exclusively the edible parts of an animal, and “meat products” refers to products derived solely from meat.
The proposal introduced a list of 29 banned terms when referring to vegetarian or vegan products, including: beef, chicken, bacon, ribs, wings, and breast. In 2020, the European Parliament had attempted to introduce a similar reform during discussions on EU agricultural subsidies, but the proposal did not pass following a vote.
Consumer Concerns and Industry Reactions
One of the main arguments for banning these terms is that they may confuse consumers, making it unclear what product they are actually choosing and purchasing. A 2020 survey by the European Consumer Organisation BEUC found that most consumers, around 70%, are not concerned about the naming of veggie “burgers” or “sausages” if the products are clearly identifiable as vegetarian or vegan.
Irina Popescu, food policy officer at BEUC, expressed disappointment with the EU Parliament’s decision to ban commonly used meat-related names for plant-based alternatives. She urged policymakers to focus on making packaging clear and understandable with trustworthy labels.
During the heated debate, some comments directed at the MEPs were quite strong. Austrian MEP Thomas Weitz (The Greens) argued that some politicians think consumers are not able to see and read what they are actually buying. He said, “If something’s called a vegan burger, then everybody knows it’s not going to contain meat.”
Legal Precedents and Industry Advocacy
Four hundred organizations have signed an open letter calling for the withdrawal of the ban on 29 meat-related terms for plant-based products. The letter urges the EU to uphold legal precedents that safeguard transparent, consumer-friendly labeling, and to support innovation and sustainability by promoting a level playing field.
The legal precedent referred to in the letter is a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last year, which held that EU member states cannot prevent food manufacturers from using labels traditionally associated with meat on vegetarian foods, as long as the labels clearly describe what the products contain.
However, a comparable legal issue arose in 2017 when the EU’s top court addressed the use of dairy-related terms for plant-based products such as soy and oat drinks. In that case, the ECJ ruled that only products containing actual dairy could use terms such as milk, butter, or yogurt, resulting in plant-based alternatives being labeled as “drinks” on European shelves.
The Parliament’s text must still be negotiated by all member states in the European Council, where it is expected to face significant division. The issue is also being debated domestically in several countries.
