EU vote on meat denominations sparks debate on fairness and consumer protection

The European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (COMAGRI) has adopted a proposal to ban terms such as “burger,” “sausage”, “steak”, and “egg yolk” for plant-based foods. The proposal by French MEP Céline Imart aims to strengthen farmers’ positions within the food supply chain.

Specifically, Imart’s proposal suggests that meat-related terms and names in EU Regulation No. 1169/2011 currently used for meat products and preparations “shall be reserved exclusively” for meat and products containing meat. 

The proposal was included in a revision of the Common Market Organization Regulation. As the amendment gathered a majority vote in the Committee, the discussion will move to a vote in the plenary with all Parliament members. 

Advocates of the proposal, Farm Europe and Eat Europe, welcome the Commission’s adoption, calling the vote a “significant step forward in promoting fairness and transparency across the EU agri-food sector.” 

The organizations representing farmers, industry, and other stakeholders say the vote is a win for consumers and farmers as marketing practices increasingly blur the “distinction between traditional animal-based products and their plant-based or lab-grown imitations.”

Meanwhile, the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) criticizes the vote, noting a “disconnect” between citizens’ needs, policymakers’ priorities, science, and policy. 

“It also goes against the EU’s targets to promote innovation, reduce red tape, and increase food security. We call on the members of Parliament to vote this text down in plenary.”

Plant-based denominations

The European Parliament voted down a proposal to ban meat names for plant-based foods in 2020. At the end of 2024, the European Court of Justice ruled against the French government on this topic, as the court said current EU legislation was sufficient to protect consumers from possible misleading labeling. 

However, Farm Europe and Eat Europe note that protecting the names of meat products is “an essential measure” to prevent misleading practices and support the European livestock sector. 

Although the organizations see the adopted proposal as a first step toward this protection, they note that further progress is needed. They say Imert’s proposal calls for a solid and comprehensive framework to protect meat product denominations. 

After receiving a majority vote in the committee, the proposal will move to a vote in the plenary with all Parliament members.“Future legislation must not only ensure a fairer economic environment for European farmers but also empower consumers to make fully informed food choices — particularly regarding nutritional value and processing levels.” 

Earlier this year, the European Commission also proposed banning 29 words for plant-based foods as part of revising the Common Market Organization Regulation. This proposal excluded descriptive terms such as “burger” or “sausage” but would ban terms such as “chicken,” “pork,” or “bacon” for plant-based alternatives.  

Protecting consumers?

Farm Europe and Eat Europe highlight that terms such as “burger,” “sausage,” and “steak” are outside the scope of the European Commission’s draft provisions. However, they say these words are the “most commonly misused names for marketing imitation products.” 

“We now urge the European Parliament to confirm this positive signal in plenary. A strong endorsement will lay essential groundwork for the upcoming interinstitutional negotiations on  the Common Agriculture Policy reform and will help reinforce the protection of meat denominations while tackling misleading marketing practices.”

However, in a recent interview with Food Ingredients First, the EVU said that restricting terms in the marketing of plant-based alternatives has little to do with consumer transparency and protection. 

Rafael Pinto, senior policy manager at the EVU, underscores there is “no data to support the argument that consumers are confused by plant-based burgers, sausages, or any other alternative.” 

“Policymakers continue to bring up this non-issue, when it’s simply not a problem for citizens. On the contrary, banning these terms will hurt the farmers producing raw materials such as pea or soy, the companies innovating with new products, and hinder consumer transparency with the use of unknown names.”

Sustainability impact

Although plant proteins are linked to health benefits and improved environmental sustainability, Farm Europe and Eat Europe claim that the protection of meat product names is key to ensuring Europe’s agri-food policies support social, economic, and environmental sustainability. 

EVU also points to a recent report from the European Academies Science Advisory Council recommending that policymakers increase support for meat alternatives due to climate, health, and food security concerns.