EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
In a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Decision Signifies
Should this proposal becomes law, popular vegetarian items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to be renamed across European Union countries.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 member states, which is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents argue that consumers need clear information and that traditional names should only refer to products from livestock.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move unnecessary regulation.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Background
The marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Response
Leading Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that the majority of shoppers comprehend product labels as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure now requires review by EU member states, and it must obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the divided opinions within various lawmakers and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
