European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must receive support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers require clear information and while traditional names must exclusively refer to products derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Background
The isn't the first effort to control such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided items are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain broad support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
