French Producers Upset Over Miller Beer Being Called Champagne

Belgian customs crushed over 2,000 cans of Miller High Life beer at the request of the Comité Champagne, a trade body defending the interests of Champagne houses and growers, due to the beer's use of the "Champagne of Beers" slogan. The trade organization argued that the century-old motto infringes the protected designation of origin "Champagne." The buyer in Germany did not contest the decision, and the beer is not currently exported to the EU. The European Union has a system of protected geographical designations to protect artisanal food, wine, and spirits from imitation.