EU Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
If the measure is implemented, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that is uncertain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers require clear labeling and while traditional names should exclusively refer to products from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from our livestock: not synthetic production or plant products," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
The marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups point to surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure next faces consideration by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority approval to become law.
Given the divided opinions among both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still unclear.
