Farmers: Sausages can never be vegan

THE use of the words sausage, bacon and steak to describe plantbased vegan imitations should be banned, say retail experts and farmers. They claim plant producers are using meat terms as a marketing ploy to boost sales.

Professor Joshua Bamfield of the Centre for Retail Research said: ‘There should be a new rule saying vegan products cannot be called sausages, steaks or bacon.

‘The idea you can call a product whatever you like, irrespective of what’s inside, goes against labelling laws. Research shows some vegan products are very refined.

‘Calling something a “veggie sausage” is a sales tactic as the producer thinks it will sell more than if it’s called a “vegan stick”.

‘If they said a product was made in France when it was made in

Wales, the authorities would come down on them like a ton of bricks.’

A spokesperson for the National Farmers’ Union said: ‘We would like to see labelling legislation revised to further protect traditional meat terms. All food products have specific ingredients and their own nutritional properties. This is why using the same term for products in different food categories should be avoided.’

The Vegan Society said: ‘Demand for vegan products is growing and those in the animal farming and meat industries are feeling threatened by this and desperately trying to restrict the marketing of vegan products.’