European Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers need clear information and while meat terms should exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to surveys indicating that most shoppers comprehend product labels when items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This legislative measure now requires review by European governments, and it needs to obtain broad support to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions among various politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
