EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout European Union markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that the majority of consumers understand product labels when items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names as long as products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now requires consideration by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed views within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
