Goodbye soy schnitzel and tofu burger? Dispute over the name of veggie products

Vegetarian and vegan substitute products have experienced a boom in recent years.

But not everyone likes the name of the meat alternatives.

In the EU Parliament this week it was about the sausage - or veggie sausage.

In Brussels it was decided whether names like

and are therefore no longer valid in the future.

A regulation was voted on, according to which plant foods are no longer allowed to have animal-like names.

The initiative is part of a report on

Common

.

Looks like meat, is called like meat - veggie products mislead consumers?

Agricultural associations in particular, such as the German Farmers' Association (DBV), had recently campaigned for the

for veggie products.

The name of schnitzel, goulash and Co. must not be misused.

The EU Agricultural Association spoke of damage to farmers and consumers who would be confused by the unclear names.

"Marketing that first discredits the original and then copies its name is unfair," criticizes Bernhard Krüsken, General Secretary of the German Farmers' Association.

see Meanwhile, no risk that consumers in veggie burgers and similar terms are deceived. 

Also interesting:

Do meat substitutes have the same fate as plant-based milk alternatives?

As early as 2017, the European Court of Justice ruled that milk-like drinks such as

can no longer be called "milk".

Since then, the products have been available under names such as "soy drink" and "almond drink".

Companies like Rügenwalder Mühle, Beyond Meat and others have

recently been very successful on the market

with their

.

The burgers, sausages and schnitzels are made, for example, on a soy, pea or seitan basis, depending on the manufacturer.

With the help of flavors and additives, the vegetarian and vegan alternatives often taste similar to the original made from meat.

If the EU Parliament should decide in

law that bans

, manufacturers would have to fall back on product names such as “pea patty” or “veggie disk”.

The dispute over the names called on many associations and representatives of the veggie community.

Up until now, it was possible in Germany to name plant-based products after meat equivalents as long as they were similar, for example in terms of consistency, intended use or mouthfeel - according to the regulation of the German Food Commission.

I'm going to a record store now and buy a #veggiedisk

That's right, isn't it? # Agricultural policy #

meat industry

- Locke 😷 (@ handballevi49) October 21, 2020

Read more:

EU Parliament decides: the term veggie burger can stay

On Friday (October 23) the first results of the vote were announced: The

has decided that the

allowed.

There was no consumer deception.

Source: dpa

Also read: