European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers need clear labeling and that traditional names should only describe items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not laboratory art nor plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France previously introduced a national ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Response
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology provided items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next faces consideration by EU member states, and it must secure majority support to become law.
Given the divided opinions within both lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
