EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
Should this proposal is implemented, common plant-based products like 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 approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that consumers require clear labeling and that meat terms must only refer to items derived from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage are goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the decision political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
This marks another effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
France previously introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand product labels when products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next requires review by EU member states, where it must secure majority approval to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative remains unclear.
