EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers require transparent information and while meat terms must only refer to items derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the move political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
The isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now faces review by EU member states, where it needs to secure broad approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still unclear.