European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union countries.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need transparent labeling and while traditional names must only refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's MEP CĂ©line Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
France previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most shoppers understand product labels as long as products are properly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to secure majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
