EU ban on terms like “veggie burger” is unlawful, says Foodwatch

The European food advocacy group Foodwatch has concluded that the European Parliament’s plan to ban meat names for plant-based meat substitutes is unlawful. The majority of people in Germany already think the ban is unnecessary.

Foodwatch: EU “veggie burger” and “tofu sausage” ban is unlawful

According to a report from WirtschaftsWoche, Foodwatch has concluded that the EU’s plan to ban terms associated with meat products from being used to sell plant-based meat alternatives is unlawful.

In October 2025, 355 members of the European Parliament voted in favour of the ban, and 247 voted against. The ban must first be approved by the European Commission if it is to become law. 

Foodwatch believes the planned ban is unlawful because it contradicts a previous judgement from the European Court of Justice, which ruled that it cannot ban member states from using product terms without providing alternative terms which can be used.

Foodwatch manager Chris Methmann said the EU ban on terms like “veggie burger” and “tofu sausage” was “nonsense”, "unlawful", and that the ban wouldn't "protect consumers but is lobbyism in service of the animal agriculture industry".

Methmann has called on German Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) to urge Brussels to drop the ban. Rainer has previously expressed criticism of the planned ban.

Majority of Germans are against EU ban on “Tofuwürstchen”

Rainer’s stance reflects that of the majority of people in Germany. According to a survey organised by Foodwatch and carried out by Forsa, 84 percent of people in Germany believe such a ban is unnecessary.

The ban was initially proposed in the EU Parliament by the centre-right, liberal-conservative alliance, the European People’s Party (EPP). CDU/CSU politicians are members of the EPP in the EU Parliament, but largely voted against the ban. 

Negotiations on the ban will enter the final stage on December 11, after which it still needs support from the majority of EU member states before it can become law.