EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
If the measure becomes law, common vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names across European Union countries.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must exclusively describe items from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most consumers understand product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure now faces review by EU member states, where it must secure majority support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions within various lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
