European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major vote this week, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across European Union countries.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers require transparent information and that traditional names must exclusively refer to products derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the move pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers understand product labels as long as items are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next requires review by EU member states, and it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still unclear.
