European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and while meat terms should exclusively describe items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
This marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Response
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of shoppers comprehend these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This legislative measure next faces consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions among both lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative remains uncertain.
