EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major decision this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and that meat terms should exclusively describe items from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the move populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing established terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most consumers understand these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided items are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
