EU agrees to ban 30 meat-related names for plant-based foods but allows terms like veggie burger

The European Parliament and Council have reached a compromise on naming rules for meat substitute products, allowing established terms like “veggie burger” and “vegetable sausage” while banning around 30 meat-related names for plant-based foods, Yle reports.

The new regulation aims to protect meat product names for transparency and fair competition. While terms like “vege-chicken” and “veke-wings” will be prohibited, widely used names such as “veggie burger” and “vegetable patty” will remain permitted.

Finnish meat industry representatives welcomed the decision. Riikka Ali-Lekkala-Toivo, CEO of Makuliha, called it a “victory of common sense,” while Mari Hannuksela, head of the Meat Industry Association, stated the rules clarify marketing practices by banning direct references to animals or their parts. However, she noted that the new regulations will increase bureaucracy and costs for businesses.

Finnish MEPs expressed mixed reactions. Eero Heinäluoma (SDP) praised the compromise as better than the Parliament’s earlier proposal to ban terms like “veggie sausage,” emphasizing the benefits of uniform EU-wide rules. Anna-Maja Henriksson (SFP) agreed, calling the decision natural for Finnish consumers accustomed to such terms.

In contrast, Aura Salla (NCP) criticized the regulation as unnecessary, arguing the EU should focus on major issues like economic policy and security rather than “trivial matters” that undermine the union’s credibility. The new rules are expected to take effect in spring 2025.