EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers need transparent information and that traditional names should exclusively refer to items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art or plant products," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most shoppers understand these names when products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This legislative measure next requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to secure majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed views among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
