EU decision on plant-based naming rules ‘misguided’, says GFI Europe
A new EU agreement on labelling for plant-based foods has drawn criticism from the alternative protein sector, after policymakers decided to preserve some common product descriptors such as “burger” and “sausage” while restricting dozens of other meat-related terms.
According to Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe), the compromise allows plant-based products to continue using familiar format-based names but introduces a ban on 31 everyday words linked to meat and animal cuts, including terms such as “steak”, “chicken”, “beef”, and cuts like “breast”, “thigh” and “drumstick”.
The rules were agreed during trilogue negotiations between the European Commission, European Parliament and the Council of the European Union as part of revisions to EU agricultural market regulations.
While the decision means plant-based products can still be marketed using terms such as “burger”, “sausage” and “nuggets”, GFI Europe argues that the wider list of restricted terminology could create confusion for consumers and add costs for manufacturers.
Alex Holst, deputy head of policy EU at GFI Europe, said familiar food terms help shoppers understand what plant-based products are designed to replicate.
“Familiar terms such as ‘sausage’ and ‘burger’ help people know what to expect from plant-based meat products and survey after survey shows the vast majority of Europeans are not confused by them.”
Holst said the decision reflects misplaced regulatory priorities at a time when Europe’s food system faces significant economic and sustainability challenges.
“With Europe’s food system facing so many challenges, it seems remarkable that policymakers have turned back the clock to proposals that were abandoned five years ago.”
Under the agreement, companies selling plant-based products in the EU will be prevented from using terminology associated with specific animals or meat cuts, a move GFI Europe argues could require manufacturers to relabel products and adjust marketing strategies across the bloc.
The think tank also warned that the restrictions have been extended to cultivated meat products and ingredients that are not yet on the market, which it says could complicate future approval and labelling processes for emerging food technologies.
According to GFI Europe, the plant-based sector is one of the fastest-growing areas of the European food industry, and introducing additional labelling barriers risks undermining innovation and market entry for new products.
The organisation is calling on EU policymakers to reconsider the restrictions, arguing that clear, familiar terminology plays an important role in helping consumers navigate plant-based options and supporting the broader transition towards more sustainable food systems.
