EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, common vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers need clear information and while meat terms should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent products from animal farming: not from synthetic production or plant products," stated France's MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, called the move political maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
This marks another effort to control such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that the majority of consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegan.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology provided products are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure next faces consideration by European governments, and it needs to obtain majority support to be enacted.
Given the divided views among both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.