New European Commission Proposal Aims to Ban Plant-Based Products From Using Certain “Meaty” Terms

The European Commission has proposed restricting plant-based products from using 29 "meaty" terms, such as "beef" and "pork", in an effort to enhance transparency regarding food composition and nutritional content. This move has faced criticism from plant-based organizations, who argue that consumers do not have an issue with the current labeling of plant-based products. Some believe that the restrictions are a result of lobbying by the meat industry, which is concerned about losing market share to plant-based alternatives.

Despite previous rejections of similar restrictions in 2020, the European Commission's new proposal has sparked controversy. Critics argue that the ban on meat terms for plant-based products is unnecessary and could hinder innovation and entrepreneurship in the European market. The proposal appears to contradict the Commission's commitment to developing a protein diversification plan that includes boosting domestic production of plant-based proteins, raising questions about its true motivations and potential impact on the industry.