EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents contend that customers need clear information and while meat terms must only describe items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The isn't the first attempt to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that the majority of consumers understand product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure now requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain broad approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.