European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it must receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need transparent information and that meat terms must exclusively describe products derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the move unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
The marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing familiar names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that most consumers comprehend product labels when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize these names provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the divided views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
