European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names throughout European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need transparent information and while traditional names must only describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
This marks another effort to control such names. The European parliament voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar terms would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that most consumers comprehend these names when items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now faces review by European governments, and it needs to obtain broad approval to become law.
Given the mixed opinions within both politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.