European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Signifies
If the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the EU's 27 member states, which remains uncertain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers require clear information and while meat terms must exclusively describe items derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
The isn't the first effort to control such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now requires review by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
