EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Names for Plant-Based Products
In a major vote this week, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to restrict product terms including "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure becomes law, common plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed across EU markets.
Nevertheless, before the ban to take effect, it must receive approval from most of the 27 EU countries, which is uncertain.
The Debate Surrounding the Measure
Supporters contend that customers require clear information and that traditional names must only describe items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from our livestock: not from laboratory art nor vegetable sources," stated French lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, led by environmental lawmakers, called the decision unnecessary regulation.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and tofu sausage don't mislead shoppers, just rightwing politicians," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Attempts and Legal Context
The isn't the first attempt to control such names. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in four years ago.
France previously enacted a national restriction on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it illegal under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Response
Major Germany's supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl object to the proposal, cautioning that altering established names would confuse consumers.
Advocacy organizations point to research showing that most consumers understand these names when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of consumers recognize these names as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
This proposal now requires review by EU member states, where it needs to secure broad approval to become law.
Given the divided opinions among both politicians and the general population, the future of the proposal remains unclear.
