EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across EU countries.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers need transparent information and while traditional names must only refer to items from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand these names as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure now faces review by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
