The Vegan Society said it was “disappointed but not surprised” by the EU’s decision.
Alistair Currie, the organisation’s Public Affairs and Policy Manager, welcomed the fact that widely used names such as burger, sausage and nugget will still be allowed for plant-based foods, but criticised the ban on other terms.
“Whilst we welcome that staple terms used for vegan products, such as ‘burger’, ‘sausage’ and ‘nugget’ will still be allowed, there is no convincing reason why other staple terms, such as ‘steak’, are restricted,” he said.
“This inconsistency mirrors similar anomalies in the restriction of language around dairy alternatives, where coconut milk and peanut butter are permitted but not soya, oat or almond milk.”
Currie argued that the move reflects pressure from the meat industry.
“This is yet another sign of a protectionist meat lobby running scared from the increasing popularity of the ethical, environmental and health benefits of veganism,” he said.
“This decision will remove consumer choice, stifle innovation in the vegan food sector and increase costs to businesses that will need to re-label and re-market products with new names and descriptions. None of these benefits the consumer.”
Little evidence of consumer confusion
Supporters of plant-based labelling say there is little evidence that shoppers struggle to distinguish between meat and vegan products.
According to a 2025 survey by Radar, 96% of respondents said they could clearly tell the difference between vegan and meat sausages, while 75% reported no confusion about plant-based product labelling.
Advocates argue that familiar food terms simply help consumers understand how products can be cooked or used — for example, whether something is shaped like a burger patty or intended for a sandwich.