EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent information and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
The marks another attempt to regulate these names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that most shoppers understand these names when items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are clearly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure next faces consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within various lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
