EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Means
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent information and while meat terms must exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This marks another attempt to control these names. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels as long as products are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now faces consideration by European governments, and it needs to obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views within both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
