EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant vote this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
The Decision Means
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require transparent labeling and that meat terms must only refer to items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from animal farming: not laboratory art or plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first attempt to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels when items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This proposal next faces review by European governments, and it must secure majority support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within various politicians and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still unclear.
