European Lawmakers Decide to Ban Meat-Related Terms for Vegetarian Products
During a significant decision on Wednesday, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to reserve product terms such as "burger" and "sausage" exclusively for meat products.
The Decision Means
Should the measure is implemented, popular plant-based products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may need to be renamed throughout EU countries.
Nevertheless, 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 argue that customers require transparent information and that meat terms should exclusively refer to items from animals.
"An escalope and sausages represent goods from animal farming: not synthetic production or plant products," said France's MEP the proposal's author.
Opponents, including Green MEPs, described the decision political tactics.
"Veggie burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, just certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Past Efforts and Judicial Background
The marks another effort to control these terminology. EU lawmakers rejected a similar prohibition in 2020.
France earlier introduced a domestic ban on traditional names for plant-based foods in 2020, but EU courts ruled it invalid under European legislation in 2024.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Major German retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the measure, warning that changing familiar terms would mislead consumers.
Consumer groups cite surveys indicating that most consumers understand product labels when products are clearly identified as vegetarian.
"Nearly seventy percent of shoppers recognize the terminology as long as items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer expert at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure now faces consideration by EU member states, and it must secure majority support to be enacted.
Considering the mixed views within various lawmakers and the public, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
