European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision this week, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian products such as plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names throughout European Union countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to gain approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, which remains far from certain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers require transparent information and that traditional names should only describe items derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the decision unnecessary restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Context
This isn't the first attempt to control these names. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established terms would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most consumers comprehend these names when items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal next requires review by EU member states, where it needs to obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.