EU lawmakers agreed to ban meaty names such as steak and bacon for vegetarian and vegan foods, but “veggie burgers” and meatless sausages will remain on the table.
Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers on Thursday found a recipe for a compromise on rules for food names, although critics said they were creating unnecessary complexity.
Lawmakers agreed to ban the use of 31 meat-related names to describe vegetarian and vegan products, including beef, chicken, thigh, steak, bacon, ribs, wing, ribeye and tenderloin, according to a statement posted on the EU council’s website.
But an earlier proposal to ban names such as burgers and sausages was abandoned.
The naming rules are part of broader regulation aimed at strengthening farmers’ positions in food supply markets. The agreement has to overcome more procedural obstacles, which are usually formalities, although it leaves open the possibility of last-minute haggling.
Céline Imart, the center-right French MEP who masterminded the amendment to ban meaty names, hailed the result as “an undeniable success for our livestock farmers.” Imart, also a cereal producer, stated that the agreement reached on Thursday “recognizes the value of the work of livestock farmers and protects their products, the result of unique know-how, against a form of unfair competition.”
Anna Strolenberg, a Dutch Green MEP who negotiated on the issue, said farmers would lose out and claimed the law should have done more to strengthen their bargaining power.
He also said: “Fortunately, the conservative word police has not managed to ban the veggie burger. Unfortunately, many other words still end up on the blacklist. It’s a shame; Europe should support innovative entrepreneurs, not put new obstacles in their way.”
The European Consumer Organization (BEUC) described the ban on some names as regrettable. “Consumers want to eat healthier and need convenient and affordable options,” said Agustín Reyna, general director of BEUC. “These names make it easier for those who want to integrate these options into their diets, and the new rules will increase confusion and are simply not necessary.”
Maria Panayiotou, Agriculture Minister of Cyprus, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said: “By improving support for farmers and strengthening the role of producer organisations, we are giving farmers additional tools to ensure a more predictable and sustainable future.”
