EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names throughout EU markets.
However, for the restriction to take effect, it must gain approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and that traditional names must only describe items derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to control such terminology. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of shoppers understand these names as long as items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure now requires review by EU member states, where it must secure broad support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions within both politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
