EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a major vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must only describe products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels when items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided views among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
