EU Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
During a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Decision Means
If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian products like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers require clear information and that traditional names should exclusively describe products derived from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage are goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
The isn't the first effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize the terminology as long as items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure now faces review by European governments, where it needs to secure broad approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative remains uncertain.
