EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
Should this proposal is implemented, common vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent information and that meat terms should exclusively describe items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided products are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure next requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to secure majority support to become law.
Given the divided views among both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
