Veggie burgers and nuggets are safe for now, but veggie bacon may soon need to go under a new name in European grocery stores. European Union negotiators have agreed on proposed labeling rules that would prevent plant-based foods from using dozens of meat-related terms, including “beef,” “pork,” “chicken,” and “bacon,” while familiar names like “burger,” “sausage,” and “nuggets” survived the cut.

The restrictions haven’t been written into law yet, but opponents say a reversal is unlikely. Plant-based food companies including Linda McCartney Foods, Quorn, and THIS have argued that familiar meat terms help shoppers understand what products are meant to replace and that banning them could create more confusion, not less. Paul McCartney has also joined the opposition, calling on the EU to “Let It Be” when it comes to familiar plant-based food names.

The Vegetarian Society has launched a “Save Our Sausages” petition opposing the restrictions, arguing that no impact assessment was conducted to determine how the changes would affect consumers or businesses. Supporters of the campaign also worry that terms currently spared, including “sausage” and “burger,” could face similar restrictions in the future.
Source: Plant Based News