EU Parliament decides fate of ‘veggie meat’

In a recent vote, the European Parliament decided not to ban the use of meat-related names for plant-based substitutes, such as ‘veggie burgers’ and ‘soy sausage’. The vote was part of the massive reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and is in line with the new Farm to Fork strategy and, more specifically, the area that deals with how products can be marketed.

The discussion surrounding the denomination of plant-based meat substitutes is particularly timely given that the new strategy is to urge consumers to move towards a more plant-based diet to reduce “the risk of life-threatening diseases and the environmental impact of our food system.”

Included in the list of proposed amendments was a request to restrict the use of meat-related terms such as ‘burger’, ‘sausage’ and ‘steak’ for products that actually contain no meat. European meat and dairy organisations, including Copa-Cogeca, the voice of European farmers and agri-cooperatives, the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union, and the International Butchers’ Confederation, among others, argued that using such terms for plant-based products is misleading.

Parliament divided

Members of the European parliament (MEPs) were divided on the subject. The different sectors were divided as well. The plant-based food industry argues that such a move hinders Europe’s transition towards a healthier and more sustainable food system, one that – under the EU Farm to Fork strategy – calls on consumers to move to more plant-based diet. They argue that current labels are not confusing and that consumers buy plant-based products to address concerns related to their health, the environment and animal welfare.

Europe’s farmers and farming associations did not agree. In October, Copa-Cogeca, along with several other farming associations, launched a campaign against the misuse of meat denominations. The campaign slogan, ”Ceci n’est pas un burger” (This is not a burger), was created in reference to the famous painting of a pipe by the well-known Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte. Copa-Cogeca says the campaign raises fundamental questions about consumer information, cultural heritage, and the power of modern marketing.

“The meat denomination debate is not an attack on vegan or vegetarian products,” explained Paul-Henri Lava, senior policy advisor at the poultry processors’ organisation AVEC. “We accept and recognise the consumer’s choice to opt for vegan products,” he continued. “However, what we cannot accept is that vegan and vegetarian products use the reputation and heritage of some meat denominations to sell products which are completely different and have nothing to do with them in terms of taste, composition and nutritional value.”

Marketing

Lava has a point. Organisations like the World Resources Institute has spent years exploring what language works and what does not when it comes to describing plant-based foods in the US and the UK. Its conclusion is that the way foods are named does indeed significantly influence their uptake.

The Institute suggested moving away from words like ‘meat-free’, ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’, in favour of a focus on ‘provenance’, ‘flavour’ and ‘look and feel’. An example provided in the final report revealed that changing the name ‘meat-free sausage and mash’ to one of the suggested alternatives had indeed boosted sales. Using ‘better sausages and mash’, for example, boosted sales by 6.5%. Switching to ‘field-grown sausages and mash’ boosted sales by 51.3%, while opting for ‘Cumberland spiced veggie sausages and mash’ boosted sales by a whopping 76.2%. Note that all 3 examples still use the word ‘sausages’ to describe a plant-based, non-meat product.

Apparently though, it seems that European consumers are not overly concerned about product names. A 2019 survey conducted by the European consumer organisation BEUC found that most Europeans are not bothered using meat-related words in plant-based product marketing. In fact, 42.4% of consumers believed that the use of ‘meaty’ names should be permitted provided that the products are clearly labelled as vegetarian or vegan. 1 in 5 consumers however think that the use of ‘meaty’ should never be allowed on vegetarian or vegan products.

“The use of ‘meaty’ names on plant-based products makes it easier for consumers to know how to integrate these products in a meal, and as such they should not be banned,” BEUC concluded.

Source: https://www.poultryworld.net