Eat Europe urges EU policymakers to clearly distinguish between natural plant-based foods and highly processed imitation products when discussing the growth of the plant-based protein market.
Natural, minimally processed plant proteins offer a genuine opportunity for European farmers and a sustainable agri-food future.
In contrast, many industrial substitutes designed to mimic meat or dairy are ultra-processed foods (UPFs), often containing more than twenty ingredients. Despite heavy marketing as healthy and sustainable, they may harm public health and mislead consumers.
“Europe needs a plant protein strategy that supports farmers and public health—not a market built on misleading claims and ultra-processed imitations” said Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Eat Europe, attending a well-participated Plant-Based Summit in Copenhagen (more than 450 people coming from 38 different Countries).
Despite over €8 billion invested in the last decade, the industrial plant-based market has failed to meet expectations. Eat Europe stresses that the sector should not be demonized, but that clear, transparent, and non-misleading labelling is essential to allow consumers to make informed choices.
To truly maximize the potential of collaboration—as is the case in Denmark—the plant-based market should be seen as a complementary opportunity for farmers, not as a way to pit sectors against each other. Constructive cooperation—such as within European legume value chains—should be encouraged.
Most substitutes for animal proteins are ultra-processed, contradicting medical advice to reduce UPF consumption. Their promotion should not rely on false health or sustainability claims.
Consumers must be able to distinguish between natural foods and imitations. Using animal product names for plant-based alternatives is misleading and undermines trust.
“We must move beyond the usual clichés that portray animal products as environmental villains,” added Scordamaglia. “Scientific data clearly show that producing one kilogram of meat in Europe generates only one-fifth of the emissions produced in Africa or the United States, thanks to our higher efficiency. Moreover, a single long-distance shipment can erase any environmental advantage claimed by imported alternatives. Transparency, science-based data, and the promotion of healthy,
non-ultra-processed foods—whether of animal or plant origin—must be the foundation of a truly sustainable European diet.”

“Only by building the plant protein market on transparency, nutrition, and sustainability can we truly serve the interests of both European farmers and consumers,” Eat Europe concluded.