Key facts
- The EU plans to restrict 31 meat terms, including bacon and steak, to products containing meat under rules adopted in summer 2026.
- The UK government expects the new EU meat-description regulations to be in scope of its proposed food standards deal.
- The rules will not come into force until after August 2029 and allow the European Commission to create exemptions for established meaty names.
- Environment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter to "get a life" when asked about the rules' impact on snacks.
The UK government is negotiating a food standards deal with the EU aimed at cutting costs for British companies trading with Europe, and the naming of smoky bacon-flavoured crisps has become a political issue in that effort. Under rules adopted in summer 2026, the EU plans to restrict the use of 31 terms, including bacon, drumstick and steak, to products that contain meat, on the grounds that consumers could be confused by plant-based alternatives using the same names. The rules also cover terms such as pork, chicken and beef.
The European snack industry is seeking clarity on how the rules would apply to meat-flavoured crisps, including those flavoured without meat extracts. The UK government has said it expects the new regulations to be in scope of its proposed food standards deal, which would mean they also apply to companies marketing products in Britain. Uncertainty remains over whether crisps named smoky bacon or roast chicken would have to be relabelled for sale in British shops.
The new EU rules will not come into force until after August 2029, and they allow the European Commission to create exemptions for meaty names with an established long-term use for other food products. The Brussels-based body has not set out how it plans to use that power or what it means for snacks. A group of conservative German MEPs is seeking a specific carve-out for meat names in snacks and sauces in separate legislation moving through the European Parliament.
On Thursday, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter he should "get a life" when asked about the potential impact of the new rules on snacks such as smoky bacon crisps. The Conservatives and Reform UK have sought to highlight cases showing Britain as a "rule taker" from Brussels.
The Food and Drink Federation, which represents British crispmakers including Walkers and KP Snacks, has supported the government's bid for a food deal to reduce trade barriers with Europe, but has cited the new rules as an area where it wants government to work with industry. "Meat protections are an example of a new EU rule that UK businesses will need to comply with, but which the UK was not involved in developing," said Kate Halliwell, the body's chief scientific officer.
The Potato Processors' Association, which also represents snackmakers, said it was monitoring the situation and wanted clarification on how the rules could affect its members. Deputy director general Vanessa Richardson said the association supported reducing "unnecessary barriers" in food trade but that the deal must be implemented in a way that "avoids unintended consequences for established product descriptions which consumers clearly understand as referring to a flavour." The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs says it stands ready to help British snack businesses prepare.