Coalition pushes back against European Commission proposals to ban “meaty” labels on plant-based food

Key players in the European food space, including animal welfare advocates, environmental NGOs, and leading food manufacturers, have formed a coalition to oppose the European Commission’s proposal to ban the words “chicken,” “burger,” and “sausage” on packaging.

While the Commission says that consumers are confused when these words appear on plant-based products, the coalition, including the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), argues that terms like “plant-based burger,” “vegan sausage,” or “plant-based bacon” help people understand how to cook and enjoy sustainable alternatives.

Moreover, EVU stresses that “no substantial evidence” has ever been presented to support this claim. In contrast, a 2020 study by the European Consumer Organization BEUC1 revealed that most consumers agree with the use of current denominations.

Policymakers argue that meat-related terms on plant-based labels are inherently misleading, even with qualifiers like ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’, but plant-based advocates reject this point.

An unnecessary barrier?

Plant-based advocates question whether the European Commission is proposing unnecessary legislation. Moreover, a potential ban would be costly to animal-free brands and confusing to consumers. 

The issue of what words and phrases should and shouldn’t be allowed on plant-based products also reached the European Court of Justice, where a 2024 ruling stated that current legislation is sufficient to safeguard consumers.

Despite this, the proposed ban on these terms is back in the spotlight, through the “No Confusion campaign,” launched earlier this week.

Around 200 organizations have endorsed the campaign.

“Policymakers are entitled to believe that. But that’s purely an ideological stance or speculation. Fortunately, there are consistent consumer surveys that show the opposite. Consumers are not confused or misled, according to the data,” Rafael Pinto, senior policy manager at the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), tells Food Ingredients First.

However, the most critical concern is quantifying the potential negative economic impact on the European plant-based food industry if this ban goes through.

“This is precisely one of the issues with the proposal. The European Commission did not conduct an impact assessment or public consultation on the issue. This affects consumers, companies producing the products, but also farmers selling the crops as raw materials, retailers, restaurants, and other food services.”

“There could be added rebranding and marketing costs, and the introduction of new names could be more confusing for consumers, reducing uptake.” 

No confusion campaign

Other concerns include how the enforcement of this regulation could affect Europe’s global competitiveness in the growing alt-protein market and slow down Europe’s transition to healthier, climate-friendly diets. European farmers producing the raw materials of plant-based foods, such as soy and peas, are also uneasy over the proposals. 

“This is a bad message for the market and innovators in the EU. On one hand, the European Commission wants to increase competitiveness and reduce bureaucracy, and on the other hand, it is proposing additional regulations that are not needed,” he says.

“The EU is currently the biggest global market for plant-based alternatives, benefiting the economy, climate, and goals such as food security. However, investing in the sector might be seen as a bigger risk with more regulations and a message of political opposition.” 

Pinot explains that several different proposals exist currently on this subject, and even if approved, they will be subject to negotiations between the three EU institutions (the European Commission, Parliament, and Council, where the member states are represented). 

“The timeline is uncertain, but we’ll keep working for common sense and to stop the ban for as long as it’s needed,” he adds. 

Siska Pottie, secretary general of the European Alliance for Plant-based Food, says that plant-based foods are among Europe’s fastest-growing markets, driving innovation, creating jobs, and contributing to a competitive European food sector. 

“The current legal framework already provides clarity and transparency for consumers, while additional restrictions would only risk hindering consumers’ trust and stifling food innovation. As the voice of businesses and stakeholders across the plant-based food value chain, from field to table, we urge policymakers to focus on enabling solutions that allow this sector to thrive, rather than introducing unnecessary barriers.”

The coalition includes the Eurogroup for Animals, Compassion in World Farming, Greenpeace, European Environmental Bureau, Physicians Association for Nutrition, European Vegetarian Union, and ProVeg International.