European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the move pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
The isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most consumers comprehend these names as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure now requires consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among both politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
