EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed across European Union markets.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and while traditional names must only describe products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the decision pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
This marks another attempt to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of consumers understand these names when items are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
