EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that remains uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and that traditional names should exclusively describe items from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the move political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend these names when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure now requires review by European governments, where it must secure broad support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
