Jasmijn de Boo, CEO of ProVeg International, said:
“This is a very disappointing development because studies have shown that consumers are simply not confused by the use of “meaty” names for plant-based foods.
“Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 already provides an effective framework to protect consumers against misleading, inaccurate, or unclear information communicated to them. A disparate approach can confuse consumer perception and fragment and distort the Single Market, potentially harming the Polish market in light of consumer demand for products containing plant proteins.
“What we would rather see is industry and Government work to actively promote climate-friendly food so that we can tackle the very immediate threat of climate change. Governments need to be going all-out to promote plant-based foods, such as by making funding available for research and promoting public procurement of plant-based food.
“Denmark has already published a comprehensive strategy to promote plant-based food and South Korea is planning to launch its strategy this month. We would like to see other countries follow this example.
“Plant-based foods can ensure economic growth as consumers shift more to alternative proteins, as made clear in the annual EU Agricultural Outlook report published this week which predicts a continuing decline in beef and pork consumption and a shift to more plant-rich diets.
“There are also health reasons to encourage plant-based food. The average Pole consumes up to 80 kg meat a year, which is more than the official recommendations made by Poland’s National Center for Nutrition Education. Plant-based foods allow people to reduce their meat intake without feeling they are missing something from their meal.”
