EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across EU countries.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers require transparent information and that meat terms should only refer to items from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage are products from our livestock: not laboratory art or plant products," stated French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
France previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain majority support to become law.
Given the divided views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
