European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names throughout European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require transparent information and that meat terms must only refer to items from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the move pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
This marks another attempt to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing established terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand these names as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal next faces review by European governments, where it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views among various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.
