October 19, 2020

 

European livestock organisations target plant-based meat products in new campaign

 

 

European livestock organisations have launched a campaign against the alleged misuse of meat denominations by plant-based "imitations".

 

The campaign, called "ceci n'est pas un steak", translated as "this is not a steak", was launched after the European Parliament again reached a stalemate on the CMO (Common Market Organisation) Regulation's provisions regarding meat denominations.

 

Members of the European Parliament have once again launched the discussion they already had last year, aiming to provide for the legal recognition of names such as "vegan burgers" and "vegan sausages".

 

Copa Cogeca, which represents the EU's farmers and their cooperatives, in a recent press release called on the Members of the European Parliament to "carefully consider the impact and consequences of generalizing such terms, thus promoting misleading and unfair marketing."

Jean-Pierre Fleury, chairman of the Copa Cogeca working party on beef and veal, explained that the European livestock sector "is not trying to fight this development, we simply call for the work of millions of European farmers and livestock sector workers to be acknowledged and respected".

 

'Confusing consumers'

 

He added: "Certain marketing agencies are using this to deliberately confuse consumers by promoting the view that substituting one product for another has no impact on the nutritional intake. This path is paved with good intentions, but it will open the door for other confusing denominations to emerge in the long term".

 

In the campaign's manifesto, the European organisations said that "plant-based imitations that tend to copy meat and dairy products' denominations and characteristics" should develop their own approach.

 

"The plant-based sector needs to step up its creative effort. Instead of investing in lobbying, these companies should work on new marketing concepts, gaining consumer's recognition and resolving the plant-based imitation industry's fundamental paradox. An industry striving to become mainstream should not need to build its reputation by focusing their marketing efforts on existing products and on a fight against them!" it added.

 

The campaign will feature a series of initiatives aiming to raise awareness of the importance of the meat denomination debate, which will be organised in the days leading up to the vote.

 

EU organisations supporting the campaign also include CLITRAVI (Meat Processing Industry in the EU), EFFAB (The European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders), AVEC (Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU), IBC (The International Butchers' Confederation) and UECBV (European Livestock and Meat Trades Union).