Proposed new EU restrictions on food labelling should protect terms like ‘steak’ and other proteins, the NFU has told a Lords inquiry.
Speaking on behalf of members, the NFU’s chief food chain adviser, Ruth Edge, responded to a decision to restrict the the use of descriptions such as ‘sausage’, ‘burger’ and ‘steak’. The European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development wants the terms to only be applied to products containing meat – not to vegetarian or vegan alternatives.
Addressing the House of Lords’ EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee during a roundtable meeting on June 19, Mrs Edge said: “We welcome the ambition of the proposal trying to add clarity but we do feel, in places, it goes too far. An example of that would be the terms sausage or burger – for us, it’s very much about the description on the label. So, for example, a beetroot burger or a Quorn sausage. The way in which that label is presented is the key aspect.
“When it comes to terms like steak and other proteins, we feel more strongly that it needs to be protected. We have seen products come to market such as chicken-style nuggets – that’s where our concern lies.
“We know this is a growth area with more than 38 per cent of main meals now meat free. What we do want to see is clarity of terms particularly where retailers are moving towards putting these meat-free products in the meat aisles which is a real change from where they’ve had designated sections within supermarkets.”
The NFU says it believes in “clear and unambiguous labelling” to allow shoppers to make informed choices about the foods they buy.
Lord Teverson, Chair of the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee, said: “As more people move towards a plant-based diet, the question of how we identify and describe vegetarian and vegan food is increasingly relevant.
“In holding this roundtable we’re intending to test the merits of this proposal and find out what it would mean for consumers and for the food industry.”
