European Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU member states, which remains uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the decision pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels as long as products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure now faces review by EU member states, where it must secure majority support to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
