EU Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Based Terms for Vegetarian Foods
In a significant vote this week, MEPs decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "steak" and "sausage" solely for meat products.
The Decision Signifies
Should the measure is implemented, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and vegetable schnitzel could have to be renamed across European Union countries.
However, before the ban to take effect, it must receive support from most of the EU's 27 member states, something that remains far from certain.
Key Debate Behind the Measure
Proponents contend that consumers need clear information and that meat terms must exclusively describe products from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from animal farming: not from laboratory art nor plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by Green MEPs, described the decision political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austria's Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Past Attempts and Legal Context
This isn't the first effort to regulate such names. EU lawmakers rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government previously introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for vegetarian products in recent years, but EU courts determined it illegal under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Response
Leading German supermarkets including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that altering familiar names would mislead shoppers.
Consumer groups cite research showing that most consumers comprehend these names as long as products are clearly marked as vegetarian.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand the terminology as long as items are explicitly labelled vegan or vegetarian," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Next
This proposal now requires consideration by European governments, and it needs to secure broad support to be enacted.
Given the mixed opinions within various politicians and the public, the outcome of the proposal is still unclear.
