European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent labeling and that meat terms must only refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the decision unnecessary restriction.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to control these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most shoppers understand these names when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now faces review by EU member states, where it must secure broad approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed views among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
