農業情報研究所＞農業・農村・食料＞欧州＞ニュース：20年10月19日
代替肉製品の呼称どうする 表示法改正をめぐってEUで大論争
＜植物肉を詰めた”肉詰め”（腸詰め）をソーセージと呼んでいいのかどうか、日本とも無縁な話しではない＞
A battle over whether vegan burgers and sausages should be replaced by vegan “discs” and
“fingers” is intensifying in the EU ahead of a vote in European Parliament on a contentious food labelling amendment next week.
On Wednesday, MEPs are scheduled to vote on whether to limit the use of words such as “steak”,
“sausage”, “escalope” and “burger” on labels for products containing meat. The move has been backed by the region’s meat and livestock industry and has won the support of the European Parliament's agricultural
committee.
The vote comes as vegan alternatives are growing popular, boosted by new entrants into the
plant-based substitutes market which mimic the look, taste, and mouth feel of real meat. The pandemic has hit meat processors and also provided a tailwind for sales of plant-based products, which have jumped 73 per
cent in Europe over the past five years, according to Euromonitor, the consumer data group.・・・・・
Livestock and meat industries claim that the use of meat related terms and names confuse
consumers. “If we do not protect [meat products], we risk misleading consumers and allowing the hijacking of the work done by the livestock chain over the years to develop their renowned products,” said Copa Cogeca,
the association of European farmers and co-operatives.
Opponents argue a change in labelling would also confuse consumers. Elena Walden, Europe policy
manager of plant-based meat advocacy group Good Food Institute, described a potential EU ban as “patronising” for consumers, while Jytte Guteland, a Swedish MEP, said names such as “veggie burger” had been around
for a long time. “It’s important that we help consumers to make climate friendly choices and for them to eat less meat,” she said.
Some meat processors and distributors have started offering their own vegan products or forming
partnerships with alternative protein producers, triggering the ire of livestock farmers.