EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which is far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that customers need transparent information and that meat terms must exclusively refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art or plant products," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing established terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most shoppers comprehend product labels when items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand these names as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views within both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
