Negotiators from the European parliament and EU council of ministers found a compromise on rules for food names on Thursday. EU lawmakers have agreed to ban meaty names such as steak and bacon for vegetarian and vegan foods. The lawmakers agreed to ban the use of 31 meat-related names to describe vegetarian and vegan products, including bacon, beef, chicken, drumstick, loin, ribs, steak, T-bone and wing. However, veggie burgers and meat-free sausages will remain on the table. An earlier proposal to prohibit names such as burger and sausage was abandoned.
The naming rules are part of a broader regulation aimed at strengthening the position of farmers in food supply markets. The agreement has to clear further procedural hurdles, which are usually formalities, although leave open the possibility of last-minute haggles. When the new naming rules will officially take effect has not been specified.
Céline Imart, a French centre-right MEP, who devised the amendment to ban meaty names, hailed the outcome as 'an undeniable success for our livestock farmers'. Imart said the agreement reached on Thursday 'recognises the value of livestock farmers’ work and protects their products, fruits of unique know-how, against a form of unfair competition'.
In contrast, Anna Strolenberg, a Dutch Green MEP who negotiated on the issue, said farmers would lose out and said the law should have done more to strengthen their bargaining power. Anna Strolenberg said: 'Fortunately, the conservative word police has failed to ban the veggie burger. Unfortunately, a number of other words still end up on the blacklist. That’s a shame; Europe should be backing innovative entrepreneurs, not putting new obstacles in their way.'
Critics said the lawmakers were creating needless complexity. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) described the banning of some names as regrettable. Agustín Reyna, the BEUC director general, said: 'Consumers want to eat healthier and need convenient and affordable options. These names make it easy for those who want to integrate these options in their diets, and the new rules will increase confusion and are simply not necessary.'
What specific measures are included in the broader regulation to strengthen farmers' positions remains unclear. How the new rules will be enforced across EU member states is also not yet determined. The full list of 31 banned meat-related names has not been fully disclosed beyond the examples provided. The agreement marks a significant step in EU food policy, balancing agricultural interests with consumer and industry concerns.