EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a major decision this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
If this proposal is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from most of the EU's 27 countries, which is uncertain.
Key Debate Surrounding the Measure
Proponents argue that customers need transparent labeling and that meat terms must exclusively describe items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages represent products from our livestock: not from synthetic production or plant products," said French lawmaker CĂ©line Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless regulation.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, just rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first effort to control these names. EU lawmakers voted down a similar prohibition in four years ago.
The French government earlier introduced a national restriction on meat terms for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under EU law in this year.
Industry and Public Response
Major German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that changing familiar terms would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels as long as products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly marked plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Following the Vote
This proposal next requires consideration by European governments, where it needs to obtain broad approval to be enacted.
Given the mixed views within various politicians and the public, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
