EU says veggie burgers can be called burgers

The European Union has declared that companies and eateries can retain meat-like names for their vegetarian products even though those products contain no meat. The EU debated whether or not a veggie burger is a burger. There was a motion to ban the use of names like burger, sausage and steak in entirely vegetable-based food. Europe's largest farming association argued that these types of names were unfair and damaged farmers and companies that produced and made meat products. It said the names promoted "misleading and unfair marketing." A spokesperson said: "We simply call for the work of millions of European farmers and livestock sector workers to be acknowledged and respected."

A member of the European Consumer Organization hailed the decision over the naming of veggie burgers. Senior food policy officer Camille Perrin called the decision "common sense". She said: "Consumers are in no way confused by a soy steak or chick pea-based sausage, so long as it is clearly labelled as vegetarian or vegan. Terms like "burger" and "steak" for plant-based foods help consumers understand how to integrate them into their meals." The environmental campaign group Greenpeace said it wondered what livestock farmers found confusing about the use of the name veggie burger. It tweeted: "If they're confused by the word 'veggie burger,' what do they think a 'hot dog' is?"