EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which is far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers need transparent information and while meat terms must only refer to items from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
The isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to research indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels as long as products are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided products are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now faces consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among both politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
