EU: Veggie Burgers Allowed, Plant-Based Milk Not
On 23 October 2020, the European Parliament rejected a ban on labelling plant-based substitute products as “steak” or “sausage”. A compromise proposal calling for clearer labelling of substitute products with the note “meat-free” also failed to pass.
The European Parliament voted to reject the so-called “veggie burger ban.” The ban would have restricted the use of terms such as “burger” and “sausage” for plant-based products that are typically associated with meat products.
Plant-Based Dairy Products Further Restricted
However, Members of the European Parliament voted to ban the use of descriptive terms such as “yoghurt-style” and “cheese alternative” for plant-based dairy products. Terms such as “almond milk” and “vegan cheese” are already banned in the European Union. The European Court of Justice ruled in 2017 that only products derived from the “normal mammary secretion” of animals may be labelled as milk. The same applies to the labelling of dairy-derived products as “cheese” or “butter.”
The aim of both amendments is to avoid alleged confusion among consumers.
We welcome the European Parliament’s vote against introducing naming restrictions for plant-based alternatives to meat, but deeply regret its vote in favour of far-reaching and entirely unnecessary restrictions on the naming of plant-based dairy alternatives.
Nico Nettelmann, Campaign Director at ProVeg
Contradiction to the Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork
It is reasonable to assume that the plant-based dairy sector — one of the most innovative and sustainable in the entire European food industry — will face considerable challenges. Manufacturers of plant-based dairy products may now be confronted with financial burdens related to the renaming, rebranding, and remarketing of their products.
«The ban also directly contradicts the European Union's stated goals in the international Green Deal and Farm-to-Fork Strategy to create healthier and more sustainable food systems. The Farm-to-Fork Strategy explicitly emphasizes the need to empower consumers to choose sustainable food and to make it easier to opt for a healthy and sustainable diet», Nettelmann adds. Plant-based nutrition is an important contribution to animal welfare and sustainability.
The motions are part of the European Parliament's position on the CAP reform. The CAP reform will now be negotiated in the next step with the European Council and the Commission. «ProVeg will continue to work towards a sensible solution to this debate. We call on the member states to find a solution that promotes a sustainable food system», said Nettelmann.
