EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant decision this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and that meat terms should only describe items from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Response
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure next faces review by European governments, where it must secure broad support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions among both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
