Use of the word ‘steak’ for plant-based products

21.10.2024

Question for written answer  E-002191/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Julien Leonardelli (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE), Mélanie Disdier (PfE), Fabrice Leggeri (PfE)

The decision taken recently by the Court of Justice of the European Union to allow products made exclusively from plants to be called ‘steak’ is completely misleading vis-a-vis real meat products.

Other terms, such as ‘sausage’ and ‘ham’, are also commonly used for plant-based products.

However, those terms pull the wool over consumers’ eyes with regard to the composition, taste and flavour of those products and their actual nutritional content.

The use of those terms is very detrimental to the meat sector as a whole, which is the casualty of this unfair competition.

What is more, calling plant-based products names traditionally associated with meat undermines European food culture and the livestock sector, which provides decent living conditions for both producers and animals.

Farmers are one of the mainstays of Europe, which must not cave in to the very often foreign and artificial ‘plant-based’ producers that dream of replacing our farmers.

Does the Commission plan to propose new labelling legislation that sets aside particular names for real meat products?

Submitted: 21.10.2024