EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require clear labeling and that meat terms must only refer to items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that the majority of consumers understand product labels when items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure next faces review by European governments, where it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views within various politicians and the public, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.