EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need clear information and that meat terms must only describe products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This proposal now requires review by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed views within both politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
