EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a major vote this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Means
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union countries.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it must gain support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when items are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal next faces review by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within both politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.
