European Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
If this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers require clear labeling and while traditional names should only describe products from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
This marks another attempt to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France previously introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels when items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand these names provided items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal now faces consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed views among various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
