EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Products
In a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Signifies
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across EU countries.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it must gain support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must only describe items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages are goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
This marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most consumers understand these names when products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to secure broad approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views among both lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.