EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across European Union markets.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and while traditional names should exclusively describe items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that altering familiar names would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that most consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure next faces consideration by European governments, and it must secure broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views among various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.
