EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout European Union markets.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need clear labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to products from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not synthetic production or plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to surveys indicating that most shoppers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions within both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
