EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the move pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering established names would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most shoppers comprehend these names when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now requires review by European governments, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed views within both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
