EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
However, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need clear labeling and that traditional names should exclusively describe items from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to control these names. The European parliament voted down a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing established terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of consumers understand product labels when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal next faces review by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views within various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
