EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require clear information and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This marks another effort to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected 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 invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next requires review by European governments, and it must secure majority support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative remains uncertain.
