European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote this week, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Means
Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need transparent labeling and that traditional names should exclusively refer to items derived from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not laboratory art nor plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first attempt to control such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that the majority of shoppers understand these names as long as items are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now requires review by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within various lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
