EU rejects proposed ban on ‘veggie burgers’

EU rejects proposed ban on ‘veggie burgers’

The European Parliament has rejected proposals to ban the use of words like ‘sausage’ and ‘burger’ to describe vegan and vegetarian products.

Closeup of home made burgers on wooden background

MEPs voted down the proposed veggie burger ban amendment – with 379 against, 284 for and 27 abstentions – after deciding that consumers are not misled by vegan meat denominations. 

Nick Allen, chief executive of the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), said before the vote: “We are increasingly concerned about the labelling of plant-based products and the trend towards using terms that are synonymous with meat. In truth these so-called meat substitutes are often, through intensive processing, creating something that just looks like meat.

“Any sensible consumer has sufficient information at the point of purchase to make an informed decision and, looking at the recent boom in sales for meat and meat products, they have clearly voted to keep on buying meat-based burgers.”

“We would always advocate that it should be made very clear that they are vegetarian products. They should not imply that they are a substitute or replacement for the nutritional benefits you get from eating meat, unless they can prove that is the case.”

Tony Goodger of the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), added: “Frankly there are much more important things in the world to worry about today than whether a congealed mush of assorted ingredients sourced from across the globe, some of which have medicinal as oppose to nutritional applications, can be called a burger or not.

“Any sensible consumer has sufficient information at the point of purchase to make an informed decision and, looking at the recent boom in sales for meat and meat products, they have clearly voted to keep on buying meat-based burgers.”

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