European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union markets.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which remains far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need clear information and while meat terms should only describe products from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
The isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts determined it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The legislative measure next requires review by European governments, where it needs to secure broad support to become law.
Given the mixed views within both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
