The attempt to have the traditional Turkish düner recognized as an official standard in the European Union has failed. If the application by the Association of Turkish Düner Producers (UDOFED) had been accepted, only foods produced strictly according to the Turkish recipe would have been allowed to be sold in EU countries under the name “düner kebab“. All other variants, including popular European recipes that do not meet Turkish standards, would have lost the right to use this name.
The application has caused particular concern in Germany, a country where the meat dish has become a common street food. According to Erdoğan Koç, a representative of the German Döner Producers Association, the approval of the application would be disastrous.
„95% of the döner sold in Germany would have to be removed from the shelves, he says.
According to the Turkish application, the ban would include, for example, the use of beef, a strong restriction on marinades, changes to spices and even cooking methods. As a result, the European döner would lose its familiar taste and appearance.
In Germany, döner is not just a food - it is part of the cultural identity. Some politicians openly call it their favorite dish. The Bavarian Christian Social Union, led by Markus Söder, is particularly famous. The party registered the logo „Söder Kebab“, which depicts Söder himself preparing a döner. Furthermore, they even officially registered an alternative brand of doner, Söner, marketing it as “German doner“.
In this way, the German Söner became a unique response to Turkey's attempts to consolidate its monopoly on doner in the EU.