EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers require transparent labeling and that traditional names must exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure broad support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.