EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Names for Plant-Based Foods
In a significant decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could need to be renamed throughout European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the ban to be enforced, it must gain approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains far from certain.
The Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers need transparent information and while meat terms should only refer to products from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not laboratory art nor plant products," stated French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the move political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a national ban on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering established names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to surveys indicating that most shoppers understand these names as long as products are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers understand the terminology provided items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
The proposal next requires consideration by EU member states, and it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Given the divided views among both lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains uncertain.
