European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to take effect, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which is far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent information and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items derived from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production nor plant products," said French MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering established names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
The legislative measure next requires consideration by EU member states, where it must obtain broad support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
