European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision this week, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
Should this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that customers require clear information and that traditional names must exclusively describe items derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that most shoppers comprehend these names when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand these names as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now faces consideration by European governments, where it must secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided views among various lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
