EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
In a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers need transparent information and while traditional names must only refer to items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not synthetic production or plant products," said French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
This marks another effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering established terms would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most shoppers comprehend these names as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand these names provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions among various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.
