EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require clear information and while traditional names should exclusively refer to products from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
The marks another attempt to control such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that the majority of consumers comprehend these names when items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now faces review by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed views among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
