“Chicken Skewers” and “Tender Beef”?
Talk about false advertising.
And not even very high health star ratings to boot.
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Chicken and beef must be plant based…it opens any chicken and beef to those who only eat plant based diets. This is where Food Standards Australia need to make a determination on labelling of plant based products so that the regular consumer can’t be duped by such labelling.
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???
Free range beef cattle possibly, although what goes into any feed supplements might alter that.
Free range chickens will eat any insects and grubs they can find. Certainly not vegetarians themselves. 
Agree with @Fred123. The labelling displays the key ingredient/s less prominently than the product description. “Cattle free Patties - beef flavour/style” is what they are.
Reliable and clear labelling is going to become even more of an issue when cultured meat products come to the market.
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Is a sausage a sausage without the meat? Senate to investigate ‘fake meat’ labelling laws
It is about time there was some movement in Canberra on the topic.
The Alternative Proteins Council (APC) said in a statement that it was disappointed at the announcement of an inquiry.
The terms of the inquiry are framed in a way that stokes a false narrative that emerging protein sectors in Australia are somehow impairing conventional protein sectors, based on branding.
Which is rather a nice bit if framing in itself as it positions the newcomers as underdogs being harshly treated by the establishment and ignores several other questions such the tendency to confuse the customer. It also begins the misdirection of trying to divert attention from their appropriation of common terms to give a positive meaning to products to suit their own commercial interest.
If calling something “meat” or “beef” or “chicken” doesn’t sell (and hence the name has a commercial value) why are the vege-based products being given those names? You can bet the vege-meat lobby has research that shows that making prominent on packages names that include “imitation”, “substitute” and all the synonyms do not sell as well as the traditional terms they want to use and are using so far.
But wait there’s more from the APC.
Framing new protein industries as a threat to conventional ones is patently wrong and does a disservice to the thousands of Australian farmers and regional communities who stand to benefit from the growth of the plant-based protein sector.
They used to say that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel, today that refuge is job-creation. Anything we do is good for jobs, anything you say against us is bad for jobs. The Alternative Proteins Council has learned at the feet of The Minerals Council.
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They shouldn’t be worried or disappointed if plant based substitutes could stand on their own against meat products. Their response seems to give the impression that they want to protect the status quo, that being using plant based (using smallest font possible or to fade it into the background) chicken, beef, pork etc product labelling. There are some examples in this community.
Is there intention to be borderline deceptive or misleading to accidentally capture a new consumer base?
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As far as sausages go, there is a precedent at least 100 years old. Although they were not called beef sausages.
The ‘Kolner Wurst’ or Cologne Sausage from WW1 Germany.
https://graphics.wsj.com/100-legacies-from-world-war-1/vegetarian-sausages
Another precedent of sorts. A sausage does not need to be a meat product, nor a burger a pattie.
Should Oz follow the EU?
We have although been two steps behind on vehicle emissions requirements, French flavoured submarines, and ….
Is cultured meat a substitute?
Pictures heavy vapour flowing down the sides of a beaker, from which tentacles emerge … 
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What next?
A claim that the fake pork and fake bacon is Sow Stall Free and the fake chicken is Freerange?
I wonder what this lot would have to say if real meat was presented in packaging illustrating fresh produce and/or grains and legumes without any images of animals but with small print stating “Animal Based”?
High time this misleading and deceptive conduct is stamped out.
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Or having real meat simply advertised as a plant based meat substitute.
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One vegetarian suggested it should be mandatory to place such products in a separate aisle, dedicated to Veggie and Vegan heaven. They could call it what ever you like then.
An interesting comment is labelling something as chicken or bacon in the Veggie Vegan aisle is more than likely a turn off than a must have. The symbolism is all wrong.
Was your find was next to the real deal?
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If you are referring to the meat department, it is always there.
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Maybe the meat industry could market their products as ‘Brussels sprout free Brussel sprouts’.
I suspect they would be pulled over the coals as being misleading. Why doesn’t the reverse apply?
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In addition to the “Boar Free Bacon” and the “Chicken Free Chicken”, I saw 6 other fake meat products in the new Woolies in Cairns Central today.
These producers have not needed to resort to misleading and deceptive packaging.
Absolutely no mention or images of meat or animals, just exactly what the items are actually made from.
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Off-topic, but apropos of that Yumi’s ‘steak’, I highly recommend their falafel balls.
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Seeing as I consider myself Vegetarian, I’m interested in meat substitutes. I know there are a lot of different non-meat foods out there which have lots of protein (e.g. peanut butter, which is delicious), But what else is there? I’ve read CHOICE’s magazine articles regarding this as well.
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Edamame beans are one of my favourites, and I’m a meat eater. They don’t need a bucket load of salt, although it’s a popular way to serve them as a snack at an Izakaya. Similar idea to that bowl full of salted nuts served at the local bar.
Eggs are also a tasty choice depending on your preferences. We cook with tofu in some meals. How appealing depends on how it’s used.
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are green soybeans…
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But some still do.
I spotted this fake meat product in Coles today which was clearly labelled as “braised beef”.
" Details
Country of Origin:
Made in Malaysia
Allergen:
May Contain Peanuts, Contains Soybean, May Contain Wheat, May Contain Egg, May Contain Sesame Seeds."
It might even contain real meat?
" Fable Plant Based Braised Beef"?
Made in Malaysia and retailing for $30/kg for deceptively misleading labelled plant extracts.
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The ACCC could not find the evidence even if it jumped up and bit them on the nose.
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Are you unhappy about the scope of the enquiry being tied to the question of naming of vege products with “meat” or meat names or do you think the scope was correct and there is evidence that such naming does mislead?
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