European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout European Union markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that customers need clear labeling and that meat terms should only describe products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend these names when products are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology provided items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it must secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within various politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
