EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require clear information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels when products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the divided views within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.