EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that is far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require clear labeling and that traditional names must only describe items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move unnecessary restriction.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This marks another attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most shoppers comprehend these names when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize the terminology as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next faces consideration by European governments, and it must secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
