EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a major vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need clear labeling and while meat terms should exclusively describe items from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another effort to regulate such names. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most shoppers understand product labels when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal now requires review by EU member states, where it must secure broad support to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions among various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.
