European Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to change their names throughout European Union markets.
However, for the ban to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers need transparent information and while traditional names should exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not synthetic production or vegetable sources," stated French MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision populist tactics.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only rightwing politicians," declared Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This marks another attempt to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago.
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 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This legislative measure next requires review by EU member states, where it must obtain majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed opinions among various politicians and the general population, the outcome of this initiative remains unclear.
