European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need clear labeling and that meat terms must only refer to items from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to control these names. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that the majority of shoppers understand these names when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided items are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, and it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views within both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
