European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU countries.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the 27 EU member states, which is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and while traditional names must exclusively describe products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most consumers understand these names when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize the terminology provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided views among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.