Many of the products are produced to imitate meat, for example there are burgers that ‘bleed’. In doing this they also borrow meat descriptions such as “chicken-style fillets” or “vegetarian pulled pork”. Further to this some retailers have moved their plant-based offerings in to the meat aisle.
It might seem strange that a vegan would choose to eat a product that has the characteristics of meat, however it’s not actually the vegans driving this trend. According to Kantar Worldpanel only 14% of plant-based meals are being eaten by vegans, the trend is being driven by meat reducers, consumers cutting down on the amount of meat they are eating.
The NFU is concerned that some of these products are misleading the consumer, a recent survey carried out by You Gov for AHDB found that 40% of respondents agreed ‘Non meat products shouldn’t use descriptions like sausage, burger and steak’ and 27% agreed that ‘Putting the meat substitutes next to meat in supermarkets is confusing’ while 9% agreed ‘I have accidentally bought a meat substitute product before’.
The NFU believes in clear and unambiguous labelling to allow consumers to make informed choices about the products they purchase. Terms that describe specific proteins such as chicken, or chicken style, beef, lamb, pork or a specific cut of meat like a steak should be reserved for meat products only.
When considering terms of processed products, such as burger and sausage, the argument is weaker as it is not possible to buy a burger or a sausage and know exactly what you are getting. Some vegetarian products have been around a long time, for example the Glamorgan sausage, which main ingredients include cheese, leeks and breadcrumbs was first mentioned in the 1850’s. In the cases of these products it's very much about the clarity of the description on the label, for example, beetroot burger.
The NFU is calling for future legislation to be revised further to protect meat terms and to ensure descriptions provide consumers with clarity over the characteristics and nature of the product. We have raised concerns with Defra and are in discussions around the clarity of certain products.
Last year chief food chain adviser Ruth Edge appeared before the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee to give evidence on proposed restrictions on naming vegetarian food.