EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and that meat terms should exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move unnecessary restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
The marks another effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that the majority of consumers understand these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand these names as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now faces review by European governments, where it needs to secure broad approval to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
