EU Parliament Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
During a significant vote on Wednesday, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for animal-derived foods.
What the Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, popular plant-based products like plant-based burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets.
However, for the ban to be enforced, it needs to receive approval from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
The Debate Behind the Proposal
Proponents contend that customers need clear labeling and while traditional names must only describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak and sausages are goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," said France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, called the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and tofu sausage do not confuse shoppers, just certain lawmakers," declared Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first attempt to control these terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
France earlier introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Major Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, warning that altering established names would mislead consumers.
Advocacy organizations cite research showing that the majority of shoppers understand these names when items are properly identified as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize the terminology provided items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," said Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
The legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it must obtain majority support to become law.
Considering the mixed views within both lawmakers and the public, the outcome of this initiative remains uncertain.
