EU Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Products
In a significant vote this week, MEPs voted 355 to 247 to reserve product terms including "steak" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure is implemented, popular vegetarian items such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed throughout EU markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from a majority of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Debate Behind the Proposal
Supporters contend that consumers need transparent labeling and that traditional names should only describe items derived from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French MEP Céline Imart.
Critics, including environmental lawmakers, described the move pointless restriction.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
The isn't the first attempt to control such terminology. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in recent years, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite surveys showing that most consumers understand product labels as long as products are clearly identified as vegan.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize these names as long as items are clearly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now requires consideration by EU member states, and it must obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Considering the divided opinions within various politicians and the public, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
