EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a major decision on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to be renamed across European Union markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it needs to gain approval from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents argue that consumers require transparent labeling and that traditional names should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor vegetable sources," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move political tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse consumers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers voted down a similar ban in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a national restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand these names provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now requires review by European governments, where it needs to obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal remains unclear.
