European Lawmakers Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a major vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, common vegetarian items like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to change their names throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it needs to gain support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, something that remains far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that consumers need transparent information and that traditional names should exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage are products from animal farming: not laboratory art or vegetable sources," stated France's MEP CĂ©line Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the decision pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
The isn't the first effort to control these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in 2020.
The French government previously enacted a domestic restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that most consumers understand these names as long as items are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers understand these names as long as items are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority approval to become law.
Considering the mixed views within various politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal is still uncertain.
