European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across European Union markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers need transparent labeling and that meat terms should only refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or plant products," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the decision pointless regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Context
The marks another effort to control these names. The European parliament voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar names would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most shoppers understand product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand these names provided products are explicitly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now faces consideration by European governments, where it must secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided opinions among various lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative is still unclear.
