EU Faces Pressure Over PlantBased Sausage Naming
Food Industry Pushes Back on EU Sausage Labelling Proposal
Major food companies and trade groups are urging European policymakers not to prohibit plant-based products from using traditional meat terms such as “sausage”. This issue is central to the current EU sausage labelling debate.
According to reporting by The Guardian, industry bodies argue that banning the use of familiar descriptors for non-meat products would create confusion rather than clarity for consumers. The debate centres on whether plant-based alternatives should be prevented from using terms historically associated with meat products.
Supporters of restrictions claim such terminology risks misleading shoppers and undermining traditional producers. Opponents counter that consumers already understand distinctions between meat and plant-based products and rely on common names to identify format and usage.
The discussion forms part of wider EU policy debates around food labelling, market transparency and competition between conventional livestock sectors and alternative protein producers.
The outcome could have implications for branding, marketing strategies and product positioning across both meat and plant-based categories within the European market.
Source: The Guardian | 13 February 2026
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