European Parliament Vote to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Products
During a major vote this week, European Parliament members decided 355 to 247 to restrict food names such as "burger" and "schnitzel" exclusively for meat products.
The Vote Signifies
If this proposal becomes law, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, tofu steak, and cauliflower schnitzel may have to be renamed across European Union markets.
Nevertheless, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from most of the EU's 27 countries, something that is far from certain.
The Arguments Behind the Measure
Supporters argue that consumers require transparent information and that traditional names must only refer to items derived from animals.
"A steak or a sausage represent goods from animal farming: not from laboratory art or plant products," stated France's lawmaker the proposal's author.
Critics, including Green MEPs, called the move political maneuvering.
"Plant-based burgers, wheat schnitzel and soy sausage do not confuse consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Legal Background
The marks another effort to regulate such terminology. The European parliament rejected a comparable ban in 2020.
The French government earlier enacted a national restriction on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but the European court of justice ruled it invalid under European legislation in this year.
Industry and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's retailers including Aldi and Lidl oppose the proposal, warning that altering familiar names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations point to research indicating that the majority of consumers comprehend product labels when items are clearly marked as vegan.
"Nearly 70% of consumers recognize the terminology provided items are clearly marked plant-based," noted Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Following the Vote
The legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it needs to obtain broad support to become law.
Given the divided views among both lawmakers and the general population, the future of the proposal remains uncertain.
