EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
During a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that customers require transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing established names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that most consumers understand these names when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires review by European governments, and it must obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
