Vegan Burgers - are you sure about that?

 

Vegan burgers that may contain 'eggs' - erm, hang on a minute? 

Food labels that create confusion for the customer can be frustrating and they may also be dangerous. Moreover, bringing such mislabelling to the attention of the company responsible should get matters fixed, yet the truth is a little more ambiguous.

 I recently purchased a pack of Garden Gourmet Plant - Based burgers.

 

It clearly stated on the pack that they were ‘vegan’ burgers, which meant they should not contain any animal products, yet it also warned that they may contain 'egg'.

How stupid is the food industry? 

I wrote off to Nestle, who are apparently the firm behind this product, expressing my concerns over their clearly absurd and deceptive labelling.

'We recently purchased your Garden Gourmet VEGAN burgers. On closer inspection the ingredients stated 'may contain eggs'. Therefore, I suggest you should re - label this product.

NB. Pack label attached.

It is very misleading and needs addressing .'



This was their strange response...

'Hello Pat

Thanks for getting in touch.

We continually reformulate our products to improve them nutritionally and so in order to provide our consumers with the information they need to make informed food choices, the best source of information is the pack. In particular our advice to allergy sufferers is to always refer to the ingredients list, as the labelling on pack will reflect the recipe used for manufacture and give details and the most accurate information about the composition of the product including the presence of particular allergens.

Any allergens present in the product will be highlighted in an appropriate manner (for example in bold) in the ingredient list. The allergens that the product ‘may contain’ will be listed at the end of the ingredients. To avoid providing inaccurate information we no longer provide lists of Nestle products suitable for allergy sufferers.
In summary as we strive for continuous product improvement this may result in product ingredient or allergen changes, we therefore recommend that consumers always check the packaging prior to consumption for the most up-to-date information.

Thanks again,'
Bethany
Consumer Engagement Centre


The Nesle reply seemed to me to be a dismissive template note that had virtually nothing to do with the fact that their labels were inaccurate, deceptive and misleading. I wrote back with this note...


'Dear Bethany

Thanks for this email.

However, you appear to have entirely missed the main point here.

Your product is mis-labelled and therefore deceptive and ill-conceived.

It clearly claims on the packet that these burgers are ‘vegan’ and yet you go on to state that they may contain ‘egg’.

You cannot call these burgers vegan if they may contain egg.

You now tell me that – “best source of information is the pack.” This is consequently quite ridiculous!

This information is 100% highly misleading and confusing to your customers.

Do please escalate this issue to your superior as template responses are unhelpful.

Thank you.

Pat Regan '


Now just about here I must add that I am not some radical food activist seeking to promote an agenda. I am just a guy who happens to enjoy vegetarian food. I just object to such slack-handed apathy within the food industry.

Understandably, lots of manufacturers are now trying to cash in on all aspects of various, and lucrative, food groups. 

This should not however mean that food labelling may be dismissed as unimportant, like it clearly has been with this product. 

If they want our cash then they should at least have the decently to get their food labels in order.

The same can be said about shops and supermarkets that are 'still' happily selling this mislabelled  product. 

Perhaps this Nestle product should be recalled, seeing is it is pretentiously purporting to be something that it is not? 

Addendum: 

Latest response from Nestle on 18/4/2023: 


'Hello Pat

Thanks for getting in touch.

Garden Gourmet Sensational Plant-Based burgers are vegan friendly, however we state that they may contain eggs as they are made in a factory with eggs. They are not directly added into the product.

I hope this helps, if not please get back in touch.

Thanks again,'


Bethany

Consumer Engagement Centre