European Lawmakers Vote to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Vegetarian Products
During a major vote this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, common vegetarian items like veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could need to change their names throughout EU countries.
However, before the ban to take effect, it must receive approval from a majority of the 27 EU member states, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need transparent information and while meat terms should exclusively describe products from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not synthetic production nor plant products," stated France's MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, led by Green MEPs, called the move pointless restriction.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Legal Background
This marks another effort to control such names. EU lawmakers voted down a comparable prohibition in 2020.
France previously enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts ruled it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that most consumers understand these names as long as products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names as long as products are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal next requires consideration by European governments, and it must obtain majority support to become law.
Given the mixed views within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
