European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a major vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, which is uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and that traditional names must exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government previously 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 this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels when items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand these names provided items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it needs to secure broad support to become law.
Considering the divided views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
