2,352 American beer cans labeled as “The Champagne of Beers” were destroyed by Belgian authorities because Champagne is a protected designation of origin (PDO) under European Union law. As a result, only sparkling wines made in France’s Champagne region are permitted to use the name Champagne.

The label “The Champagne of Beers” violated the trademarked term “Champagne,” according to the Comité Champagne, a joint trade association for the Champagne industry, which asked for the destruction of the American beers.

According to Charles Goemaere, managing director of the French Champagne Committee, the removal of the Miller High Life beers demonstrated “the importance that the European Union attaches to designations of origin and rewards the determination of the Champagne producers to protect their designation.

The protection of PDOs is important for ensuring that consumers can trust the origin and quality of the products they are buying. The destruction of the American beer cans by Belgian authorities was likely done in order to enforce these laws and protect the integrity of the Champagne PDO.