EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require clear information and while traditional names must exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers understand these names when products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure now faces review by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to become law.
Given the divided views among both politicians and the public, the future of this initiative remains uncertain.
