EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from most of the EU's 27 member states, which is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent information and while meat terms must only refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.