EU Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major vote this week, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, popular vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, something that is uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and while meat terms must only refer to products derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including environmental lawmakers, called the decision political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
This marks another effort to control such names. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established names would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that most shoppers understand product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
