Should “meaty” language be used for plant-based products in America?

Earlier this year, the French government decreed that words such as “steak,” “filet,” and “ham,” can no longer be used on the labels of non-meat products. In doing so, France joins Italy, Turkey and South Africa, which also ban the use of “meaty” and “milky” language to describe plant-based products.

Meat and dairy producers have long lobbied for this change, arguing that using similar terms for plant-based products confuse and mislead consumers. A large proportion of consumers feel the same way. Over half (54%) of Americans polled believe that plant-based food brands should avoid “meaty” and “milky” language.

If consumers object, why do brands continue to use these terms?  A deeper look into consumer opinion shows that key audiences are more open to “veggie burgers” and “soy milk” than the general population.

Half of Americans say “no” to “veggie bacon”

Half of Americans (54%) say brands should not use “meaty” terms to describe and market non-meat products. This compares to 22% who say they should, and a quarter (25%) who don’t know.

Americans are slightly more open to using dairy-related terms such as “soy milk” and “vegan cheese” for non-dairy products. Nearly a third (31%) say these terms should be used, and another 22% say they don’t know. However, nearly half (47%) believes such terms shouldn’t be used to describe and market non-dairy products.

While this might suggest that brands should abandon this kind of language, not all audiences react the same way. Older consumers are more resistant to the use of this terminology than younger ones. More than three fifths (62%) of consumers aged 55 years or more say non-meat products should not use ‘meaty’ words. Among 18-34-year-olds, that number is only 45%.

Diet matters: Vegetarians and dairy-abstainers more open to “meaty” and "milky" language

Diet also matters when it comes to people’s opinions. For example, only a third (33%) of vegetarians object to using meaty words for plant-based foods. This compares to 57% of meat-eaters who think the words should be reserved for actual meat. Insofar as these brands are targeting consumers who don’t eat meat or who are trying to reduce their meat consumption, using “meaty” language will not be as risky as it might seem from the opinion of the general population.

A similar pattern appears with dairy. Half of dairy consumers (50%) think terms like “soy milk” should be avoided compared to 35% of dairy non-consumers.

Should makers of meat and dairy substitutes come up with new terminology?

While true that around half of Americans object to using “meaty” and “milky” language for substitute products, it’s not clear that brands should invent a new terminology. This is because most Americans who object to meat-based terms will be hard to win over anyway.

The following chart shows whether those who object to “meaty” and “milky” language for substitutes are likely to buy them.

In both cases, about half of those who object to the terms say they’re very unlikely to ever purchase plant-based substitutes. It’s doubtful that a new label would change these consumers’ minds. Among those who are likely to buy plant-based substitutes, those who think that brands should use such language outnumber those who think they shouldn’t. Therefore, if brands want to target those who are most likely to buy their products, it makes sense for them to continue using “meaty” and “milky” language, as long as regulators allow them to.

Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between September 4-6, 2024, with a nationally representative sample of 2,498 adults in US (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, race and region to be representative of all adults. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.