EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
If the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent labeling and while traditional names should only describe items from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or plant products," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
The isn't the first attempt to control these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The proposal next requires review by EU member states, where it needs to obtain majority support to become law.
Given the divided views within various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
