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Paul McCartney and his family have called for the EU to reconsider its proposed ban on the use of ‘meaty’ words on plant-based food labels.
The former Beatle, musician, and activist joined eight British MPs in writing to the European Commission (EC) about the legislation. They argued that the debate over plant-based labels represents a non-existent issue and that a ban could have a range of negative outcomes for consumers, producers, and the planet alike.
Read more: EU Parliament Votes To Ban Meaty Words On Plant-Based Food Labels
The ban’s supporters claim that using meaty words for plant-based foods causes consumer confusion, undermines animal farming, and damages the meat industry. The European Parliament (EP) voted in favor of the legislation in October.
French MEP Céline Imart, who is a farmer, sponsored the ban, which argues that “meat” exclusively means “the edible parts of an animal. The original draft of the legislation also aimed to limit the usage of common words like beef, pork, chicken, and bacon, as well as burgers, sausages, steaks, drumsticks, and ribs.
“To stipulate that burgers and sausages are ‘plant-based’, ‘vegetarian’ or ‘vegan’ should be enough for sensible people to understand what they are eating,” said McCartney. He added that ensuring plant-based foods are clearly labeled also “encourages attitudes which are essential to our health and that of the planet.”
In a release from the Vegetarian Society sent to Plant Based News (PBN), the British charity shared new YouGov data showing that 92 percent of UK adults have never mistaken a plant-based product for animal protein, or can’t remember ever doing so.
Read more: Stella McCartney Unveils World-First Vegan Fashion Feathers
‘No one is confused’
The cross-party group of British MPs behind the McCartneys-backed letter includes Irene Campbell, Siân Berry, Jeremy Corbyn, and Kerry McCarthy.
The signatories noted that while the UK is no longer a member of the EU, the two regions’ “closely intertwined” markets and regulations mean that decisions made in Europe will “continue to influence” norms in Britain and beyond.
According to the signatories, the proposed ban risks increasing confusion, hindering Europe’s thriving plant-based sector, putting strain on producers, reducing global competitiveness, and slowing progress on emissions reduction and climate targets.
A whitepaper from ProVeg International has explored what the legislation could mean for the plant-based market in detail. It also found that a ban on meaty words risks increasing confusion, raising costs, and undermining sector innovation.
The legislation still requires EC approval. While the final round of talks on the legislation was scheduled for December 10, they stalled after Imart pushed to expand the list of protected terms to include “foie” and “ham.” This went beyond the approved proposal, and talks are now not expected to conclude until at least 2026.
Jasmijn de Boo, the global CEO of ProVeg, said, “We are relieved that a vote on ‘meaty’ names for plant-based foods did not take place.” She continued, “This allows the EU institutions time to reflect on the value of restricting plant-based food labelling.”
“No one is confused by terms like ‘vegetarian sausage,’ as numerous surveys attest,” added Boo. “So, in fact, there is no need to restrict such labeling.”
Read more: Europe Is Investing More Than $2.5 Million To Promote Plant-Based Foods
