Saving the veggie burger

In August 2020 an international not-for-profit with a recently established Brussels office selected Landmark to support an urgent campaign to reverse MEPs’ plans to prohibit names like ‘burger’ and ‘sausage’ for plant-based products, widely known as the ‘veggie burger ban’.

With only two months to go before a key European Parliament plenary vote, we helped orchestrate an intensive outreach and communications programme to persuade key decision makers that the proposed ban was not in the public interest. Working closely with the client’s team, we tailored the campaign messaging; helped position the organisation as a trustworthy and knowledgeable interlocutor; applied deep understanding of parliamentary procedures to maximise the chances of success; advised on coalition building with like-minded stakeholders; and helped deliver a high-impact media and direct outreach campaign.

The European Parliament voted down the ‘veggie burger ban’ in all its forms, awareness and reputation of our client increased, and the campaign laid foundations for our client’s longer-term trusted relationships with key policymakers and stakeholders.