European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major vote on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure becomes law, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that customers need clear information and that meat terms must only describe items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to regulate such terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most consumers understand these names as long as products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of shoppers recognize these names provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.
