EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and that traditional names should exclusively describe products derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
The marks another effort to regulate such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that most consumers understand product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure now requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.
