European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need transparent labeling and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are goods from animal farming: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to regulate such names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
