Sir, – Powerful lobby groups are campaigning to have the terms "veggie burger" and "veggie sausage" banned in the EU ("Farm lobby seeks EU ban on vegan 'burger' and veggie 'sausage'", Business section, October 23rd).
Its campaign is based on the patently spurious argument that such terms confuse consumers and the ludicrous suggestion that these terms “disrespect the work of the livestock sector” (one imagines a wounded Larry Goodman recoiling at the insults offered him in the chilled foods aisle).
CAP-loving Irish farmers should be wary of supporting this campaign. In the unlikely event of an Irexit movement gaining traction here, ridiculous EU regulations will be used to drive the agenda. Witness the mileage Brexit got out of Boris Johnson’s untruthful claims about bendy bananas and packaging rules for British kippers.
The meat industry is helpfully suggesting “veggie disk” and “veggie tube” as attractive-sounding alternatives to burger and sausage. If farmers and meat processors really wish to help what they believe are stupid consumers, perhaps they would be prepared to accept “meat-free burger” and “meat-free sausage” as alternatives.
Meanwhile, another article in the same section is headlined, "Guinness brings out a non-alcohol stout". One assumes this is not disrespectful to brewery workers. – Yours, etc,
ROBERT CARROLL,
Dublin 6W.