EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union countries.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers require transparent labeling and while meat terms should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not laboratory art or plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
This marks another attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain broad approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within various politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
