The European Parliament’s agriculture committee recently voted in favor of an amendment that reserves words like ‘burger,’ ‘sausage,’ and ‘steak’ for products containing animal meat. Many EU countries believe that references to ‘meat’ should not be allowed for lab-grown fake meat.
In parallel, the European Commission has proposed banning 29 meat-related terms—such as ‘bacon,’ ‘beef,’ and ‘chicken’—on plant-based labels. Parliament members are also considering restricting the use of ‘burger’ and ‘sausage.’ Both initiatives aim to protect consumers but have sparked fierce backlash.
A broad coalition of more than two hundred organizations launched the ‘No Confusion’ campaign to defeat the proposals. They argue that consumers are not confused by terms like ‘plant-based burger’ and that a ban would actually create confusion and hinder innovation.
Opponents of the ban point out that familiar names help consumers make choices and prepare food. They fear that the bans would affect both plant-based and cultured variants and slow the emergence of new, more sustainable products.
Proponents argue that meat terms should belong exclusively to meat to prevent deception and protect traditional sectors. Critics counter that existing EU legislation already provides sufficient safeguards and that additional restrictions are disproportionate.