EU ban on names such as veggie burger is illegal, says Foodwatch

Foodwatch calls the planned EU ban on meat names for plant-based products in its current form unlawful. The European food watchdog bases its opinion on legal advice that refers to the European Court of Justice and European rules on food information.

“Nonsensical and illegal”

In October, the European Parliament voted in favour of a ban on ‘meat names’ for plant-based alternatives. Terms such as “burger,” “steak,” or “sausage” would only be allowed to be used for meat products, while names such as veggie burger or soy sausage would be banned. However, according to legal advice requested by Foodwatch, this proposal conflicts with a ruling by the European Court of Justice, which prohibits member states from banning product names without offering clear alternatives. The analysis also refers to the European regulation on food information.