EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names across EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that remains uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers require clear labeling and while traditional names must exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from animal farming: not from synthetic production or vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
The marks another effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing established names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research indicating that the majority of consumers understand product labels when products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among both politicians and the general population, the outcome of this initiative is still uncertain.