European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names across EU countries.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent labeling and that meat terms should only refer to products derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most shoppers understand product labels when products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal now faces review by European governments, and it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions among various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
