EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Means
Should the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian products like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers need transparent information and that traditional names must exclusively refer to items derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
France previously enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys showing that the majority of consumers understand these names when items are properly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names provided items are clearly labelled plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now faces consideration by European governments, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions within both politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
