European Parliament Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Plant-Based Products
During a major decision this week, European Parliament members voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Decision Means
Should this proposal becomes law, common plant-based items such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names across European Union countries.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that remains far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers need clear labeling and while traditional names should exclusively refer to products from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent goods from our livestock: not from synthetic production nor plant products," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, described the decision pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This marks another effort to regulate these names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
France earlier enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts determined it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major German retailers such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups point to research indicating that the majority of consumers understand these names when products are properly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The proposal now faces consideration by EU member states, and it needs to obtain broad support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
