EU Parliament Vote to Ban Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
In a significant vote this week, MEPs decided by a margin of 355-247 to restrict food names including "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If the measure becomes law, common plant-based products such as plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel could have to change their names across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to be enforced, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
The Arguments Surrounding the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers require transparent labeling and that traditional names must exclusively describe items derived from livestock.
"A steak or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," said French lawmaker Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, called the decision populist tactics.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Context
This isn't the first attempt to regulate these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable prohibition in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing established names would confuse shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most shoppers understand product labels when items are properly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly 70% of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy officer at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal now requires review by EU member states, where it needs to secure majority support to be enacted.
Given the divided views within both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
