EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
In a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Means
If the measure becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names throughout European Union countries.
However, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require transparent labeling and while meat terms should only describe products from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled 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 familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the mixed views among various politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
