European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers require transparent information and that traditional names must exclusively refer to products from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the move unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first effort to control these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend these names as long as items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names provided products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires review by European governments, where it must obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views among various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
