EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major decision this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, common vegetarian products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and while meat terms should only describe products from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously enacted a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The proposal next requires review by European governments, and it needs to obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
