Labour’s push for closer EU ties through a food standards deal has raised the prospect that popular crisp flavours such as smoky bacon could require relabelling under new EU rules restricting the use of meat names for plant-based products, threatening to reignite sovereignty debates from the Brexit era.
The government is negotiating a food standards agreement with the EU intended to cut costs for British companies trading with Europe, which could be announced at a summit later this month. Labour ministers have stressed the overall economic boost they expect the deal to bring.
The government expects the deal to cover regulations adopted this summer under which the EU plans to restrict the use of 31 meat terms, including bacon, drumstick and steak, to products that contain meat. The EU says consumers could be confused by plant-based alternatives using the same names. The regulations are not due to come into force until after August 2029, and the European Commission may create exemptions for meaty names with established long-term use for other types of food.
Environment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter he should “get a life” when asked about the potential impact on smoky bacon crisps. But the issue highlights political risks for the government, with the Conservatives and Reform UK keen to pounce on cases showing Britain to be a “rule taker” from Brussels by aligning with regulations British politicians had no hand in shaping.
The Food and Drink Federation, which represents crispmakers including Walkers and KP Snacks, has backed the deal for its potential to reduce trade barriers, but highlighted the new rules as an area where it wants the government to work with industry to ensure UK interests are reflected in EU decision-making. “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 the body’s chief scientific officer, Kate Halliwell.
The Potato Processors’ Association said it was monitoring the situation and wanted clarification of how the rules could affect its members. Deputy director general Vanessa Richardson said the association supported moves to reduce “unnecessary barriers” in food trade, but added it was important that the government’s deal 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 (Defra) says it stands ready to help British snack businesses prepare for the impact of the new EU rules. It is not yet clear what a British version of the rules would look like or whether they would need to apply from 2029 alongside the European regulations.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Popular crisp flavours such as smoky bacon could face mandatory name changes, affecting a major UK snack market.
- The dispute reopens Brexit-era arguments over sovereignty and the UK’s relationship with EU regulations.
- The food deal’s outcome may set a precedent for how future EU rules are adopted in Britain.
Background
After leaving the EU in 2020, the UK government has sought to reduce trade barriers through sectoral deals. The proposed food standards agreement would align Britain with EU rules in exchange for easier market access. Separately, the EU adopted regulations in 2025 to restrict the use of meat-related terms for plant-based foods, arguing they mislead consumers. The regulations take effect after August 2029, but the European Commission has yet to detail how exemptions will work.
Key Perspectives
Labour government: Stresses the economic benefits of the food deal and downplays sector-specific concerns, with Environment Secretary Angela Eagle telling a radio presenter to “get a life” over questions about crisp labelling.
Conservatives and Reform UK: Criticise the government for making Britain a “rule taker” from Brussels by adopting rules it had no part in shaping.
Food and Drink Federation: Supports the deal but wants the government to ensure UK interests are reflected in EU decision-making, pointing to the meat name rules as a key concern.
Potato Processors’ Association: Seeks clarification on how the rules will affect snacks and urges the government to avoid unintended consequences for well-established product descriptions.
What to Watch
- Whether the European Commission creates exemptions for established meat-flavoured snack names.
- How the UK government decides to implement the rules domestically and whether they align with the 2029 timeline.
- Political reaction at the upcoming EU-UK summit, where the food deal is expected to be announced.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedThe EU food deal could force smoky bacon crisps to be relabelled and reignite Brexit-era sovereignty rows.BBC News: “It has raised the prospect that crisps with names such as smoky bacon and roast chicken could have to be relabelled to be sold in British shops, although much remains unclear about how the rules will apply in practice.”
- SupportedEnvironment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter to “get a life” when asked about the rules’ potential impact on snacks such as smoky bacon crisps.BBC News: “On Thursday, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle told a radio presenter he should "get a life" when he asked about the potential impact of the new rules on snacks, such as smoky bacon crisps.”
- SupportedLabour’s closer-EU-ties food deal has raised the prospect that smoky bacon crisps could need relabelling under EU rules.BBC News: “The government is negotiating a deal on food standards in a bid to cut costs for British companies trading with Europe.”
- SupportedThe government is negotiating a food standards deal with the EU to cut costs for British companies trading with Europe, and it could be announced at a summit later this month.BBC News: “The government is negotiating a deal on food standards in a bid to cut costs for British companies trading with Europe. Labour ministers have been keen to talk up the potential economic benefits of the agreement, which could be announced at a summit later this month.”
- SupportedThe EU plans to restrict 31 terms, including bacon, drumstick and steak, to products that contain meat.BBC News: “Under rules adopted this summer, the EU plans to restrict the use of 31 terms, including bacon, drumstick and steak, to products that contain meat, claiming consumers could be confused by plant-based alternatives using the same names.”
- SupportedThe EU says consumers could be confused by plant-based alternatives using the same names as meat products.BBC News: “the EU plans to restrict the use of 31 terms, including bacon, drumstick and steak, to products that contain meat, claiming consumers could be confused by plant-based alternatives using the same names.”
- SupportedThe rules will not come into force until after August 2029, and the European Commission may create exemptions for established food descriptions using meat names.BBC News: “The new EU rules, which will not come into force until after August 2029, will allow the European Commission to create exemptions for meaty names with an established long-term use to describe other types of food product.”
- SupportedConservatives and Reform UK are keen to use cases like this to portray Britain as a “rule taker” from Brussels.BBC News: “with the Conservatives and Reform UK keen to pounce on cases showing Britain to be a "rule taker" from Brussels.”
- SupportedThe Food and Drink Federation supports the deal for its potential to reduce trade barriers, and its chief scientific officer Kate Halliwell said UK businesses would need to comply with an EU rule they had no part in developing.BBC News: “"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," added the body's chief scientific officer Kate Halliwell.”
- SupportedVanessa Richardson said the Potato Processors’ Association supported reducing “unnecessary barriers” and wanted the deal to avoid “unintended consequences” for established product descriptions consumers understand as flavours.BBC News: “Vanessa Richardson, its deputy director general, said her association supported moves to reduce "unnecessary barriers" in the trade of food products. But she added it was important that the government's deal is implemented in a way that "avoids unintended consequences for established product descriptions which consumers clearly understand as referring to a flavour".”
- SupportedDefra says it stands ready to help British snack businesses prepare for the impact of the EU rules.BBC News: “The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) says it stands ready to help British snack businesses prepare for the impact of the new EU rules.”
- SupportedIt is not yet clear what a British version of the rules would look like or whether the rules would need to apply from 2029 alongside the European regulations.BBC News: “It is not yet clear what a British version of the rules would look like, or whether they would need to apply from 2029 alongside the new European regulations.”