EU proposals to ban ‘meaty’ names on the labels of plant-based foods could adversely impact farmers, meat companies, and plant-based food pioneers, ProVeg International has warned.
The proposals would see words like ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ banned on the labelling of plant-based foods.
Europe currently leads the global plant-based meat market, which was estimated to be worth $2.47 billion in 2024. The sector supports farmers, especially pulse growers, and drives rural diversification, as well as contributing to soil health and sustainability.
Gemma Chapman, business communications manager at ProVeg, said, “Restricting labelling would reduce high-value opportunities for farmers, undermine the single market, and add unnecessary administrative complexity. Where companies are concerned, they could be set back by having to rebuild brands, alter how they communicate with consumers and, in the process, foot huge rebrand costs and face operational disruption.
“ProVeg urges EU lawmakers to consider the broader landscape here and to see how restrictive labelling measures could impact the current and future development of alternative proteins, which Europe excels at.”
