Europe has proposed banning the word "burger" for meatless dishes.

If the bill is adopted, the bans could also apply to vegan "sausages" and "steaks" made from alternative meat. According to the European Commission's proposal, 29 words should be removed from use in relation to plant-based products, as these terms confuse consumers.

Opponents of the initiative—animal rights groups, environmental NGOs, and food companies—are calling on the European Commission to withdraw the bill and the European Parliament to reject the amendments. They point out that there is no basis or evidence demonstrating consumer misunderstanding. At the same time, they cite research by BEUC (the European Consumer Organization), according to which the majority of consumers support the use of current names that they understand.

Opponents of the new potential ban argue that consideration should be given to protecting names already in use, such as "plant burger" or "vegan sausage." The associations argue that the current names are easily understood and that removing common terms will make it more difficult for consumers to find the product, which will impact the economic performance of companies producing such products and the farmers who grow the products (legumes and soy) for the industry.

Similar initiatives have been undertaken previously. In 2020, members of the European Parliament voted against a ban on calling plant-based meat products "burgers" and "sausages."