European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it must gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which remains uncertain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and while traditional names should only refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the move unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The isn't the first effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize these names provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal now faces review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions among both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
