If you’re headed to Europe and looking for the veggie drumsticks or plant-based bacon you crave at home, you’ll soon need to learn some new name—new EU rules will soon ban meat-related names for non-meat foods.
That means that vegetarian and vegan versions of steak, bacon, T-bone, wing, ribs and more will need to find new names to call themselves; no more chicken or chick’n. The list of meat-related names has 31 entries.
The naming rules are part of a broader regulation aimed at strengthening the position of farmers in food supply markets, but are also intended to avoid confusion by consumers. They will be fully in effect by 2030.
One small victory for the non-meat producers: the original proposal also included the words ‘sausage’ and ‘burger,’ but they will continue to be allowed.
The bans also apply to some animal-based products, such as ‘cultured meat’ produced in labs or factories from animal cells.
