EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that customers require clear information and while meat terms should only describe products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
This marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that most consumers understand these names as long as items are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires review by EU member states, and it must obtain broad approval to become law.
Given the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.
