Organizations from the Spanish meat and fishing industry met with authorities from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) to demand greater consumer protection against “imitation vegan products.” Its main objective is to demand more transparency in the information provided to consumers about the true composition of these foods and the possible risks they could represent for the balance of the diet. The alliance, which represents more than 150,000 workers, presented the initiative
At the meeting, the possibilities offered by the current legislative and legal framework were reviewed to review the names of some vegan products that seek to imitate meat and fish but do not include this animal protein in their products.
The case of France was studied, which has recently raised the possibility of publishing a decree to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in order to avoid possible confusion or deception of the consumer when using terms traditionally associated with products of origin. animal to promote vegan or vegetarian products.
The meeting also explained the historical context of the dispute between plant and dairy products, which was resolved with a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union of June 14, 2017, which established that plant products cannot be marketed with names as “milk” or “cheese,” according to the Food Industry Alliance.
The organizations, grouped in the so-called Food Industry Alliance, had already held a meeting in February with Daniel Arribas, general director of Consumption of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030.
The meat industry is one of the sectors that contributes the most to climate change and, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emits more greenhouse gases than cars or air transport.
Vegan products are increasingly common in supermarkets. They are presented as “healthy” and “ethical” alternatives to products of animal origin. Many have managed to imitate the texture and flavor of meat. However, some studies point out that they often lack essential nutrients and the way they are advertised is misleading.
At the beginning of the year, the German organization Foodwatch, focused on the protection of consumer rights and food quality, denounced many vegan products as “fraud.” Foodwatch took a close look at 15 purely plant-based products that mimic their meat equivalent and, contrary to what you might think from their packaging and labeling, more than half contain a wide variety of additives and are highly processed.
He participated in the initiative of the employer conservation Anfaco-Cecopesca, the Asociación Nacional de Industrias de la Carne de España (Anice), the Asociación Interprofesional Española de la Meat Poultry (Avianza) and the Confederación Española de Detallistas de la Carne (Cedecarne).