European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular plant-based items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that customers require transparent labeling and that traditional names must only refer to items derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France previously introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most shoppers understand these names as long as items are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This proposal now faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority support to become law.
Given the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
