European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which is far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers need clear information and while traditional names should exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the move pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to control these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously introduced a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that the majority of shoppers understand these names as long as products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize these names provided items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal next requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
