EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
Should this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require clear information and while meat terms must exclusively refer to products derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This marks another effort to control these names. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most shoppers understand product labels as long as products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views among various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
