EU Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Terms for Plant-Based Foods
In a major decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for animal-derived foods.
The Vote Means
If this proposal is implemented, popular plant-based items like plant-based burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may have to be renamed across EU markets.
However, before the restriction to be enforced, it must gain support from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is uncertain.
Key Arguments Behind the Measure
Proponents contend that customers need clear labeling and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items from livestock.
"An escalope and sausages are products from our livestock: not from laboratory art or vegetable sources," said France's lawmaker Céline Imart.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse shoppers, only certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to regulate these names. The European parliament rejected a similar ban in 2020.
The French government earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under EU law in 2024.
Business and Public Reaction
Leading German supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that changing familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost seventy percent of consumers understand the terminology as long as products are clearly marked vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a food policy expert at BEUC.
What Next
The proposal next faces review by EU member states, and it must obtain majority approval to be enacted.
Given the divided views within various politicians and the public, the future of this initiative is still unclear.
