Stricter EU regulation is needed because of imitation meat and dairy products of plant origin
Plant-based products imitating animal-derived foods must be significantly different in name from those of animal origin. In their description and advertisements, they cannot refer to the untruth that their nutritional content is the same as that of products of animal origin. The National Chamber of Agriculture, together with the Copa-Cogeca organization that brings together European producers, draws the attention of EU decision-makers to the creation of relevant market regulations as soon as possible, which also aims to protect consumers.
Copa-Cogeca (the organization of European agricultural producers and producer cooperatives) issued a statement regarding plant-based meat and milk imitations. Plant-based protein products (meat and milk, or even egg imitations) are products made from plant extracts or plant-derived ingredients that try to imitate the sensory properties (shape, texture, taste, smell, etc.) of animal-derived products, as well as their name and they also build on their acceptance. According to their interests, their distributors highlight their similarities to products of animal origin, while also trying to distinguish them, blurring the essential differences.
These products are often “labeled” as substitutes for the original animal products, implying that their nutritional value is the same and that they are interchangeable in the diet. Numerous surveys, reports, and studies prove that the vast majority of consumers do not read the list of ingredients and nutritional values. Instead, many people think that if something is called a veggie “burger” or a vegan “eggs,” for example, the nutritional value must be the same as the original product – which is not the case. For example, according to a study in France, six out of ten consumers believe that plant-based drinks can replace milk nutritionally – despite a large body of scientific evidence to the contrary. Meat is a complex protein source, but plant-based versions do not contain all the essential amino acids, and the content of vitamin B12, zinc, iron and trace elements is lower. Due to misleading information, many people think that the nutritional value of original animal products and plant-based imitations is the same, although this is nowhere near the case. Such misinformation can lead to dietary deficiencies and even more serious health problems.
Related news
Favourites recreated – without lactose
This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2025/5.…
Read more >Farm Europe urges EU to stand up for animal products
A new approach and measures to recognise and value the…
Read more >No need to pay agricultural water service fee this year for irrigation water use
Farmers have had to deal with extremely serious challenges in…
Read more >Related news
GKI Analysis: Without EU funds, the domestic economy would just flounder
On May 1, Hungary marks the 21st anniversary of joining…
Read more >Csökkentette az élelmiszerárakat az árrésstop és az online Árfigyelő bővítése
2025 áprilisában csökkent az infláció és az élelmiszerárak növekedési üteme…
Read more >NGM: we always take action against unjustified price increases, inflation may decrease further in the coming months
The government is successfully fighting price increases. In April, inflation…
Read more >