EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive support from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent labeling and that traditional names should only refer to items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to control these names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend these names when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal next requires review by European governments, where it must obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
