European Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it must receive support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers require clear information and while meat terms should exclusively refer to products derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are goods from our livestock: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another attempt to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names as long as products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now faces consideration by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the divided views among both politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
