European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require clear labeling and that traditional names should only describe items derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
The marks another effort to control these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Response
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure next requires review by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions within various politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
