EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a major vote this week, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers require clear information and while meat terms must only describe products from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that most shoppers understand product labels when products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views within both politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.