European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "schnitzel" solely for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, for the restriction to take effect, it must receive support from a majority of the 27 EU countries, which remains uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that consumers require clear information and that meat terms should exclusively describe products derived from animals.
"A steak and sausages are products from animal farming: not from synthetic production nor plant products," stated French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, called the move political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Context
The marks another effort to regulate these terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar prohibition in four years ago.
France earlier enacted a domestic restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Public Response
Leading German retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most shoppers comprehend product labels as long as products are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of consumers recognize these names provided items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This legislative measure next faces review by EU member states, where it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Considering the mixed opinions within various politicians and the general population, the outcome of the proposal is still uncertain.
