EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms including "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout European Union countries.
However, for the ban to take effect, it needs to receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must exclusively describe items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to control these names. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology provided products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next faces review by EU member states, where it must secure broad support to be enacted.
Considering the divided views among various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.