Smoky bacon Walkers crisps and chicken Pot Noodles could vanish from UK supermarket shelves by 2030, or at least lose their current names, under a new food and drink deal between the UK and the EU. The agreement forbids the use of meat-related terms to describe vegetarian and vegan food.
Any product with a type of meat in its name that contains no actual meat will no longer appear on shelves as it does now. This includes Bacon Rashers crisps, as well as vegan and vegetarian products such as Quorn's Peppered Steaks, This 100% plant based Fillet Steak, and Linda McCartney's Vegan Shredded Chicken.
Rules Aimed at Avoiding Customer Confusion
The rules are designed to avoid customers getting confused. However, 'veggie burgers' and 'plant-based sausages' will be exempt from these changes.
The list of words that will not be able to be affiliated with plant-based food includes, but is not limited to: meat, steak, thigh, breast, drumstick, fillet, ribs, chicken, beef and bacon.
These changes come despite a 2025 survey of 20,000 people by Radar, where 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.
Vegan Society Criticises the Ban
Claire Ogley, head of campaigns, policy and research at The Vegan Society, branded the ban 'pointless and ridiculous'.
'There is no evidence to suggest people are confused by commonly used food names,' she told Metro. 'They weren't confused by "vegan sausages" or "plant-based burgers"… and they aren't confused by crisp flavours now.'
'Might "Flame-Grilled Steak Flavour" become "Plant Protein Slab Taste"? Patently, this is just daft and any such moves will just make it harder for people to buy the products they know and love.'
Why Is This Happening?
The changes are due to the UK getting closer with the EU once more. The UK and EU have agreed to a food and drink deal, which is meant to help increase trade. As a result, Britain will follow EU plant and animal health rules, including on labelling, to reduce the need for some border checks and certificates.
Ogley and other animal rights campaigners have denounced these changes as doing more harm than good.
'This is all smoke and mirrors – a protectionist panic move by powerful meat and dairy lobbies who are trying to turn the tide of increasing numbers of people who are following compassionate, healthy and environmentally-friendly lifestyles by avoiding animal products,' Ogley says. 'EU politicians should stop answering questions that nobody, other than the meat and dairy lobbies, are asking.'
She adds that forcing food companies (both vegan and non-vegan brands) to completely change labelling and packaging will be costly, and warns those costs could be passed on to consumers.
'Vegans should look for a label such as the Vegan Trademark, which is widely recognised and makes it clear that a product is fully vegan – and do meat eaters care if their 'steak flavour' crisps don't contain any meat?' Ogley says.
When questioned about these changes, environment secretary Dame Angela Eagle told the Times Radio interviewer to 'get a life'. Eagle argued it was important to allow farmers and food producers to export into Europe again with less difficulty.
Metro contacted Pot Noodle and Walkers for comment.
