EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which is uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need clear information and while traditional names should exclusively describe items from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing established names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels as long as products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The proposal now requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad support to become law.
Given the mixed views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
