EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names across EU countries.
However, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that remains uncertain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that customers require clear labeling and while traditional names must only describe items from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said France's lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first effort to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
France previously introduced a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most consumers understand product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided products are clearly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain broad support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions among both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
