There are some bills that have been passed that limit what meatless/dairy free products can label themselves as. It’s important to point out that the people who are fighting for these labelling laws are a majority from the animal agriculture industry. They will say that these products confuse consumers and companies are trying to trick people into buying their unhealthy products.
It’s disingenuous to claim that alternative milks and dairy confuse consumers. The meat and the vegan meat are located in different parts of the store and alongside that vegan products have multiple different labels on the front and the back that clearly clarify that it is in fact made from plants.
Here are some examples. In the first image it states it is (1) Always vegan (2) plant-based above the “ground be’f (3) the word beef itself is missing an e. The second says (1) no dairy and (2) specifies that it is milk from an oat. In the final example it states (1) vegan in front of veggie burgers (2) vegan again at the bottom of the front of the box and (3) it says made from soy protein. Every meatless/dairy free option is like these examples. Even if someone does miss the labeling, maybe they will find a new product that they enjoy.
It simply just doesn’t sound as appetizing to call oat milk, oat drink. Or vegan beef, textured soy protein. These products purpose is to mimic the traditional products that consumers grew up on, and many of them do a good job of it. Most people would not pick up oat drink, but many might be more interested in an oat milk. I think proponents of these laws are scared that people will enjoy these alternatives more and so they are attempting to control how they’re perceived. In the English language there are many examples of foods that are called something that they are not. There is no butter in peanut butter, blueberries aren’t actually blue, hot dogs contain no dog, and french fries are not French. So why is it only an issue when the TVP that tastes exactly like beef wants to call itself beef?
Comments
Hi, I think this brings up a good topic. Regulations when it comes to naming can be very hard to understand as there are a bunch of different guidelines that need to be followed depending on the product. Some products have meticulous regulations, while others have nearly none.
Hi Corinne, I agree with you that these products mislead consumers seem exaggerated, especially considering the clear labels on both the front and back of the packaging, as shown by-products like “ground beef” or “oat milk.” The argument that consumers are easily confused appears more like a tactic from the animal agriculture industry to control market perception rather than a genuine concern. The demand to rename plant-based items as “oat drink” or “textured soy protein” undermines their purpose: providing familiar alternatives. Language has always been flexible with food names, like “peanut butter” and “French fries,” so this selective regulation on plant-based products seems more about competitive pressure than consumer clarity.
I think it is very interesting how there is different regulation between products. You would think that all product would have the same strict rules and regulations.
I think you bring up some very valid points in your post, but what you are missing is what those labels used to look like before there were regulations separating them. It also depends on the store that you are shopping in if they are in a different section or on the same shelf. I accidentally bought vegan chicken nuggets because they were on the same shelf right next to the ones I regularly buy, and I made the mistake of not looking closely at the packaging. This leads to consumers making a mistake when purchasing, which a lot of people do not like to admit.
I think the other thing that a lot on the other side do not understand is why something that is not beef, chicken, or pork needs to so closely emulate it in taste, texture, and appearance. And further, why should they give up their livelihood, producing these food sources, so that something that is not what it claims to be can fill its place? You would never expect to bite into a hot dog and taste or feel the texture of dog meat, so why should you bite into a beef hamburger and taste soy or some other alternative?
Hi Corinne. I would have to agree with Wyatt on this one. I don’t think the differentiators between real meat and plant based products is enough. I have also accidentally bought a frozen meal that had plant-based meat when I did not intend too. I don’t think that it is right that plant based products can be called “butter”, “cheese”, “beef”, “chicken” or “pork”. I think the packaging of the plant based and true products are too similar, and many customers cannot tell the difference.