European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote this week, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers require clear labeling and while traditional names should exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first effort to control such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a national ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that the majority of consumers comprehend these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next requires consideration by EU member states, where it must secure majority approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views among both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
