EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Means
Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers require transparent information and that meat terms must exclusively describe products derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that most consumers understand product labels when items are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal now requires review by EU member states, where it must secure majority support to become law.
Given the mixed opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
