EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common plant-based items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need clear labeling and while meat terms must only refer to products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to control these terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to research indicating that the majority of consumers understand these names when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal next faces consideration by European governments, and it needs to secure majority approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among both lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.