EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs voted by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "burger" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Means
If this proposal becomes law, popular plant-based items like veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to change their names throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to be enforced, it needs to receive support from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers need clear labeling and that traditional names must exclusively refer to products derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor plant products," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, described the move unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
The marks another attempt to regulate such names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously introduced a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys indicating that most consumers comprehend these names as long as products are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure now requires review by European governments, where it needs to secure majority approval to become law.
Given the mixed views within various lawmakers and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
