EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
During a major decision this week, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers require clear information and while meat terms must exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This marks another attempt to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend these names when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, and it must secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the divided views within various politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.