European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need clear labeling and that meat terms must exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
The isn't the first effort to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing established names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next faces consideration by European governments, and it must obtain majority support to become law.
Considering the divided views within both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
