EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision this week, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers require clear labeling and that traditional names must only refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires consideration by European governments, and it must secure broad support to become law.
Given the mixed views within various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
