European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers need transparent labeling and while traditional names must exclusively refer to items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France previously introduced a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most consumers understand these names as long as items are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided items are clearly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal next requires consideration by EU member states, where it must secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
