European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Signifies
If the measure becomes law, common vegetarian products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names across EU markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that is far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that customers require clear labeling and that traditional names must exclusively describe products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France previously enacted a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most shoppers understand product labels as long as products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology provided items are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure now requires consideration by European governments, and it must secure majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions within various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
