EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need transparent labeling and while traditional names should exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers comprehend product labels when products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
