European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers need transparent information and that meat terms must exclusively refer to products from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
The marks another attempt to control these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering familiar names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels as long as products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now faces consideration by European governments, and it must obtain majority support to become law.
Considering the mixed views within both politicians and the public, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
