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The issue surrounding the naming of smoky bacon-flavoured crisps has recently emerged as a contentious political concern amid the government’s efforts to strengthen ties with the European Union. As part of ongoing negotiations to establish a food standards agreement, the government aims to reduce costs for British companies engaged in trade with Europe. Labour ministers have emphasized the potential economic gains from this deal, which is expected to be announced at an upcoming summit later this month.
Despite the broader economic benefits highlighted by Labour, the agreement’s stipulation for the UK to adopt extensive EU food regulations has reignited sovereignty debates reminiscent of those seen during the Brexit discussions. Labour officials have generally avoided focusing on the impact of alignment in specific sectors, choosing instead to stress the overall positive effects of the food deal. However, the tensions surrounding this regulatory realignment became apparent when Environment Secretary Angela Eagle dismissed concerns about the impact on snack foods like smoky bacon crisps by telling a radio host to “get a life” when questioned on the issue.
The smoky bacon crisps regulatory dispute is not new; it follows earlier controversies regarding the EU’s plan to phase out certain artificial smoke flavourings by 2024, which had raised questions about the future of this beloved British flavour. More recently, the concern has shifted to the flavour name itself, due to EU rules introduced this summer that restrict the use of 31 meat-related terms—including bacon, drumstick, and steak—exclusively to products containing actual meat. The rationale behind these restrictions is to avoid consumer confusion caused by plant-based alternatives using traditional meat names in their marketing.
The European snack industry is seeking clarification on how these restrictions will apply, particularly to crisps that are meat-flavoured but contain no meat extracts. The UK government has indicated that it expects these new regulations to fall within the scope of its proposed food standards deal with the EU. This would mean that companies selling snacks in the UK—one of Europe’s largest crisp markets—would also have to comply with these rules. While the new EU regulations will only take effect after August 2029 and allow for potential exemptions for terms with established long-term use, details on the European Commission’s approach to snacks remain unclear. Meanwhile, a group of conservative German MEPs is pushing for a specific exemption for meat product names used in snacks and sauces as part of separate legislation currently progressing through the European Parliament.
The Food and Drink Federation, representing British crispmakers such as Walkers and KP Snacks, supports the government’s efforts to reach a food agreement given its potential to reduce trade barriers. However, the federation has underscored the need for the government to collaborate closely with industry stakeholders to ensure UK interests are adequately reflected in future EU regulations. Kate Halliwell, the federation’s chief scientific officer, noted that “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,” highlighting the challenges faced by British businesses adapting to regulations shaped without their input
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